Ranma's Child
by Blissful Archangel
Summary: Ryuku Saotome's life is plagued with abandonment and dark rumors. Throughout his childhood, he lacked inspiration and had eventually gave up on the family arts. That all changed when he met a young girl on a cold winter's day. From there, his life was flung into disorderly chaos - crazy martial artists, ancient magic, and Amazonian tribes crash into the redhead's life.
1. Prologue: Too Many Apologies

**Edited:**_ this was edited sometime in June. Added and removed a few things. ;)_

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

_This is a Generation Fanfic, by the way. I know it's been a concept that's been done before, but I thought I'd take a shot at making my own. Hope it's different from any other ones you may have seen before. _

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**Prologue:**

Thunder boomed from outside. She could hear raindrops hitting fiercely against the closed screen door. She wasn't afraid of the rain. In fact she _loved _the cold and wet weather. The breathtaking feeling of droplets of contaminated liquid hitting over her bare pale arms, and face; that murky moist aroma filling her nostrils with the raindrops left on the damp streets, sidewalks, and grass.

She was sitting on the hard wooden floors. Her legs were out in front of her in an inelegant manner, and her hands brushed lightly against the wood letting her finger tips memorize the feeling of the dirty floors. Her dark brown eyes skimmed the dimly lit room; she was currently sitting in the middle of.

It was so different seeing the room how it was now: lifeless and empty. The room used to be so full of life back in the day when each day brought in every sort of trouble. The furniture that used to occupy the space in the room was taken away due to the fact that she had once again failed to pay the bills.

A dull smile played across her lips, as she could hear the faint sounds of cheerful laughter echo from upstairs, and bounce off the walls and into her ears. The memories of her childhood replayed before her eyes, as she could feel tears prickle at the corners of her eyes.

When did her life become so miserable?

She could feel bitter tears stream down her cheeks, and then splatter down on her hands. Burying her face into her hands, she let out a silent cry, as she sobbed pathetically into her hands. She quieted her breathing, feeling her breath hitching once the sounds of footsteps met her ears.

Picking her face up from her palms, she quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and turned to the staircase. Stepping down the stairs at an even pace was her six year old son. The sounds of his footsteps, echoed off the walls just like his laughter had. She turned her body to watch him walk down the rest of the steps before he made it to the floor.

He looked around the empty room, and once his eyes met hers a small smile played across his lips. As he walked towards his mother, she noticed that he was holding something in one of his little fists. He held out his fist once he stood before her. She gave him a light smile, and let her eyes gaze upwards to study his youthful face.

His unruly scarlet hair was tied back into a small curling pigtail, and his bangs covered his big dark blue eyes. He wore an oversized short sleeved white shirt, which reached past his slender knees. Her smile drooped a bit when she saw he was barefoot. She had always told him not to walk barefoot in the house, but like always he ignored her.

While she was busy studying her son's appearance, her son was doing the same to her. He stared fixedly at his mother's face for several seconds, before his lips formed into a tiny frown. She made her feigned smile widen; she knew he could tell she had been crying earlier. Yet she denied that she was, because she didn't want to—_couldn't_ admit that she was responsible for messing his life up.

He was smarter then her when she was his age. Not at all as naïve, as she was. She tilted her head to the side to stare at his fist. The grip he had on what his fingers were wrapped tight around loosened.

"What do you have in your hand?" she inquired, making her tone sound as though she was actually curious.

His eyes darted off to the side. He seemed almost hesitant to answer her. "…it's something I found upstairs."

"What'd you find?"

Slowly, he opened his hand. Her eyes looked over the object that lay on his palm. It was a small red rubber ball. Her eyes widened, as a memory flashed before her eyes.

It was the ball that her mother had given to her. The same red rubber ball that she begged her mother to buy for her since it was so cheap.

She thought she had lost it, when she was once bouncing it off against the walls upstairs. Her mother warned her about playing with it in the house, yet she would always dismiss the warnings thinking nothing bad would ever happen.

"Oh!" she winced at the pathetic tone she was using to try to fool her son into thinking that she was actually interested in the small rubber ball. "Where'd you find that thing?"

He refused to look at her. It felt like her heart was beginning to crumble inside of her. Was she really a horrible mother? He simply turned his palm over, and bounced the ball once on the ground. As he snatched the ball in the air, he turned his attention over to the rubber object.

"I found it in the attic." He finally answered unenthusiastically.

She fidgeted, and clasped her hand in front of her just so she could stare at something—_anything_. "What were you doing in the attic?"

"…Seichi was up there."

A look of bewilderment washed over her face, as she asked her son another question. This time her voice actually sounded genuinely interested. "…Seichi? Who's that?"

He shook his head, realizing his mistake, and quickly changed the subject. "Is it still raining?"

She kept silent, and let her eyelids shut so she could listen to the sounds from outside. Raindrops were still pounding against the screen door, another loud crack of thunder striking, and in result of that a quick flash of light in the room.

"…it's still raining."

Giving a nod in return, he continued to bounce the ball against the floor. She opened her eyes and watched him with a drooping smile, as she could feel more tears coming. He took a step back. His eyes darted off to the side, and without warning the ball landed in her lap. She picked the ball up in confusion, and then jumped in surprise when the screen doors suddenly slammed open. She changed her gaze upwards to see rain pouring in, and harsh winds shoving against the screens. Her eyes widened and it felt as though her heart had stopped beating, when she saw that her son had suddenly vanished.

She leapt onto her feet, threw the ball aside, and dashed outside. When she stood at the doorway, she felt the rain splatter across her face, blurring her vision. While wiping roughly at her eyes, she stepped outside and began to look for where her son had run off to.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, once she caught sight of a small shadowed figure kneeling down on the rocks that surrounded the old empty koi pond. Walking over to where her son squatted, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn his head to look at her.

Even though it was dark, and she could barely see a thing. She knew his hair had darkened, and his figure shrunken. Her tears mixed in with the raindrops, as she dropped down to her knees, and frantically wrapped her arms around him. It was like she was a little girl again. She wanted so desperately for someone to hold her close and comfort her. To tell her things that would cheer her up when she was in one of her many moods.

She could almost recall—feel the many times when Ranma used to hold her whenever she felt like this. Those times when she lay in her bed, or stopped in the middle of training to think about her mother; or anything else that may have caused her to feel her rage, or distress bubble up inside of her. She remembered the way she fit so perfectly against him, and the way his arms wrapped snuggly around her. Or how the smell of sweat, or how the feel of moist clothing from the endless hours of training he put himself through being pressed against her, comforted her.

"I'm…I'm so sorry." She whispered through shivering lips, as she buried her face into his small slender neck.

He was soaking wet and his body was trembling violently from the cold weather. Her nose brushed against his neck, yet she didn't even flinch when she was greeted with his cold flesh.

"Why do you always say that?"

Even though he was at a young age, she could tell his pitch was higher then his usual tone of voice. She tightened her hold on him, as she sobbed weakly against him.

Why couldn't she or Ranma ever catch a break?

Why couldn't at least her son, be spared of the horrible things that happened to the both of them, and live a normal life?

She lifted her face from his neck, her gaze turning to the once clear water of the pond next to them. She didn't know how to answer him.

He raised his hands up from his lap, only turning his face to look at her to wipe off the tears. He knew it was a pointless thing to do, yet he couldn't stop himself from trying to calm his mother down. It was something he would always do, even though he didn't want to. She lifted her head up with a trembling lower lip, and let the raindrops beat against her face. She couldn't bear to look at him.

She didn't want to see the trouble she put on her son.

She didn't want to accept that she ruined his life forever.

She didn't want to accept the fact that her son _hated_ her.

If felt like she couldn't speak, that something invisible was wrapped firmly around her neck, and choking her or keeping her from speaking. She could feel his shuddered breathes against her, as he shivered from the cold weather. Her motherly instincts were telling her to: take him inside, scold him for going outside when it was raining, tell him that he would catch a cold for doing something stupid, and get him out of his soaked clothing.

Yet she wouldn't move it was like she couldn't bring herself to let go of him. She was scared that if she let go he'd leave her forever, and shun her away from his cursed life. More tears formed in her eyes, she embraced him once again.

She didn't want to lose him too.

He stiffened against her hold, resting his chin against her shoulder, and ignoring the fact that he was starting to have a coughing fit. Relaxing into the firm hold, he let himself be held.

He let his eyelids close shut, as he listened to his mother's almost struggled breathing.

"…I-I'm sorry."

The almost inaudible remark was silenced by the lightning's roar. Flashes of light surrounded them for a mere second before darkness took over once again. Yet even though the lightning drowned out the small sentence, he still somehow heard it.


	2. Ch 1: Here's Ryuku

**Edited:** _revised a few things, fixed some wording here and there, and obviously the chapter is longer then the older one._

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

_This is a Generation Fanfic, by the way. I know it's been a concept that's been done before, but I thought I'd take a shot at making my own. Hope it's different from any other ones you may have seen before. _

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******Chapter 1:** Here's Ryuku

Winter was a lovely season.

The season which small round, frozen white liquid fell from the sky, and showered the earth below with a thick, blissful colorless blanket of snow.

It was the beginning of early January, which meant the busy month of December had past not to long ago. Even though the month had past, people still crowded the streets. Walking hurriedly through the busy crowd was a rather frail looking girl that was at the age of fifteen. The whistling breeze lightly blew her long brown hair, ever so slightly that it flowed along with the wind.

Her cheeks were flushed a rosy shade of scarlet from the air's cold temperature. The girl's brown eyes stared forward not at once bothering to glance at the side to look at the many stores around her. She carried in her hands two large paper bags that were filled to the top with groceries. She hugged the bags closer to herself, as if knowing that if she let her grip go even for a second that the bags would fall to the ground.

The girl wore a thick yellow turtle-neck sweater that hugged her arms, neck, and chest snuggly. Over her head, she wore a pink colored beanie, it covered over her ears comfortably, and over the beanie was a pair of fluffy lavender earmuffs. Covering her legs was a pair of baggy pink pants. Finishing off her look were pale rosy-pink snow boots.

The girl appeared to be in a state of panic. It seemed as though she was frantically trying to catch up to someone ahead of her (which she was), but was having difficulty with the seemingly endless amount of people around her, and with the bags of groceries in her hands. She would often bump into people from trying to cut through the crowd, and then have to stop to apologize before continuing with her chase.

Her eyes were glued onto the back of the person she was chasing after, making sure she wouldn't lose sight of them. There were only a few more obstacles she needed to pass, before she'd finally reach them. First, she pushed past a family of four while uttering another apology. Next, she managed to sidestep the couple that was walking while their faces were attached to each other. She then made it past a group of loud obnoxious friends.

The person wasn't that far from her now. The only thing she needed to do was call after them. "N-Naori!" she cried out. "Please wait for me!" she continued to shout her name a few more times, before she finally stopped.

When she arrived next to Naori's side, she was struggling to catch her breath. Naori rolled her eyes at her, and raised her arm up in front of her face to make her look at her wristwatch.

"Do you know how much time_ you_ wasted in there?" her hand went upwards to grab at her beanie and earmuffs. "Thanks to you, _both_ my ears and head are cold." And with that she removed them, and placed them upon her own head.

The cold quickly attacked her unshielded ears. But she ignored that, and instead gave her sister a small smile, happy that she made her more comfortable. In response to her smile, Naori gave her a disgusted look and shoved past her. The shove nearly tipped her over, but fortunately she got her balance back at the last second (successfully avoiding an accident with the groceries).

She went after Naori, who had already begun to start walking again. Once she was at her side, Naori took a step away from her as if she had a deadly disease she didn't want to catch.

"I don't even know why I have to go shopping with you," Naori spat, her tone of voice harsher than the cold weather. "You're capable of doing these things on your own now, Ayano. Stop dragging me out of the house with things you don't need help with."

"…I'm sorry, Naori."

Naori shook her head at her sister. "You should be," she agreed. "I've lost an hour of my life thanks to you. And I'll never get that hour back."

Ayano brought the groceries bags closer towards her chest, and again she apologized. For the next several minutes that past between the two sisters no one spoke. The only sound that broke their silence was from Naori's boots clicking against the concrete. Ayano wanted to start up a conversation, but knew that Naori would ignore any attempt of a conversation starter.

Fortunately for Ayano, the silence was broken by Naori's phone suddenly ringing. Naori's walking came to a halt when she reached into her coat pocket for her cell phone. When she answered and heard the voice on the other end's greeting, her face immediately lit up. She saw the spark of interest on Ayano's face, and held her hand up in front of her face as a signal for her to keep quiet, which Ayano obediently obeyed.

It wasn't long before Naori hung up the phone with a content smile on her face. She slipped her phone back into her coat pocket, and then abruptly turned towards her sister.

"Can you do something for me, Ayano?" she nodded her head, prepared to do whatever Naori was going to tell her. "I want you to tell Daddy that I'm going to be at a friend's house for awhile."

"…you're not coming home?"

Naori made a face at how pathetic Ayano sounded. "Didn't you hear what I just told you? Of course, I'm not coming home."

Ayano bit at her bottom lip. "Can't you walk me back home first? You can tell him yourself that way."

"Can you stop _sounding_ like that? You sound really pathetic, Ayano. You really do." Ayano flinched from Naori's harsh words. "You aren't going to die if you walk home by yourself. You've done it a billion times before, and if nothing happened then nothing will happen now."

Naori paused to glance at her wristwatch, and let out an annoyed groan. "I'm getting later and later talking to you. Why are you_ always_ wasting my time?" she muttered something else under her breath. Something that Ayano couldn't hear.

"When will you be back?"

"Just shut up. I'm done talking to you."

Ayano could do nothing else, but watch her sister leave. Once she was out of sight, she began to begrudgingly continue with her way back home. Soon she was walking over a long cement fenced bridge, which was over the half-full storm drains.

Due to the cold weather, the bridge was covered with a thin layer of ice. Fortunately, it thawed, but left small frozen puddles in its place. Warning signs were taped all over the fences, to warn people to watch where they stepped. But Ayano was too absorbed with her thoughts to notice the signs, and walked directly over a puddle. She felt herself fall forward, her grocery bags falling out of her hands, as her eyes saw the hard ground coming towards her. She clenched her eyes shut, and waited for the painful impact with the concrete.

But strangely it never came, her eyes fluttered opened, before she fully opened them to see what happened. She felt herself being placed back onto her feet. She looked up through her bangs to see who had saved her.

Standing before her was a boy, who seemed to be around her age. He was taller then her, by at least a few inches, maybe the height of any average boy she guessed. Judging by the look on his face he seemed to be slightly peeved about something (she hoped it wasn't because of her). His face was lightly tanned, making his dark blue eyes stand out somewhat.

He had dark crimson hair; at the back it was cut short to his neck. His bangs covered his eyes somewhat, but he seemed to ignore it, since he didn't bother to brush them out of the way. He wore a thick blue snow jacket; yet as thick as it was, the jacket looked as thought it clung onto him almost like a second pair of skin. Ayano thought that the top half of what he wore was the most appropriate for the weather. But the bottom half—which was a simple pair of black faded jeans with tears at the knees, and red sneakers with mud stains all over it—was not.

Ayano snapped out of her gaze, and scolded herself for randomly gawking at a boy like that. He gazed down at her with a blank stare, while calmly breathing out visible air from his slightly parted lips. A nervous, shaky, laugh escaped her lips, as she slowly took a step back. Putting her trembling hands on her thighs, she bent down, and bowed in front of him.

"I'm—tha-thank you so much for...um, not making me fall." She stayed where she was waiting for a reply, but all she was greeted was with silence.

Puzzled, she lifted herself up, while sliding her hands up to her stomach, and tightly clasping them together. Even though his eyes were still on her, it felt as though he was staring right through her.

He turned his head away from her to stare at something from the side and finally grunted. "…just watch where you're walking next time."

She played his reply over in her head a few times, before she slowly nodded her head. The cold winter air seemed tense around the two; she lowered her gaze down to the floor, and let out another uneasy laugh. She licked her lips, suddenly feeling them go numb, and then unclasped her hands to slip them into her sweater pockets to warm them up.

"Um, well…I guess I should be going then!" She bowed down in front of him again, before she turned to leave.

She only walked a few steps, before she felt a hand wrap around her arm. Immediately, she stopped and turned her head to the side to see who it was. It was him again. He towered over her slightly, as his eyes stared into her own. The stare was rather dull, but the eye contact seemed much more intense.

Suddenly, he blinked a few times, breaking the eye contact slightly, as his cheeks started to flush (she guessed it was from the cold), before he quickly turned his head to the side. She blinked; feeling a bit dazed, and shook her head to get back to reality.

"…what is it?"

He didn't answer right away. "Your groceries." he muttered, before he let go of her arm, and pointed his finger at a spot on the ground.

She only nodded her head dumbly, and looked at where he was pointing. Her breathing hitched, as she stared down in grief at her groceries bags lying on the ground with her items spilled out of them, (most of the food that were held in jars broke, while other food managed to survive) and scattered all over the ground.

What was she going to do?

She didn't have enough money to buy more food. And it had taken her a long time to persuade her sister into coming with her to the grocery store (Ayano thinking it would be a way for the two of them to spend some quality time together, due to their lack of a relationship). She knew her arrival home empty handed would anger her father and her sister especially who had been forced to tag along with her.

Her vision started to blur, as she felt tears start to prickle at the corner of her eyes. She let her bangs cover her eyes, as if wanting to hide her sight away from the stranger that was still in her presence. She turned her head towards him, seeing if he was still there. He was staring at her with an unreadable look on his face. She tried to calm herself down, not wanting to cry in front of a stranger over something that other people would consider being not a big deal.

Once she felt herself start to calm down, she forced a cheerful look on her face, and smiled lightly at him.

"T-thank you…" she trailed off in her sentence, and she hung her head down. She felt like she would break down into tears at any moment.

She dropped down on her knees, ignoring the feeling of the cold now prickling at her unprotected knees, and began to pick up what was left of her groceries. Her mind trailed off in thought, as she absently picked up a piece of a broken jar. The stranger kneeled down beside her, and started to pick up some of the groceries as well. She watched him do so with a startled look. If Naori had been there, she would have been complaining on what a klutz she was instead of offering to lend a hand.

Once she finished, she got back on her feet holding a torn bag in her hand filled with broken food items. He held some broken glass in his own arms; he stared down at what he was holding in his hands.

This time she gave him a genuine smile, pleased with the stranger's kindness. "Thank you."

She turned to leave. However, she felt her knees start to tremble uncontrollably. She looked down to see her knees roughly scraped, slightly blue, and with shards of glass piercing her flesh. She couldn't feel anything. Blood was smeared all over her freshly opened cuts, staining her pants. There was a shuffle, and in an instant Ayano saw him kneeling before her checking her knees out for himself.

"…that doesn't look very good."

"There's no need to worry about me," she gave him a reassuring smile. "It's just a couple scrapes, nothing to fuss over really. I'm fine."

He looked doubtful, as his eyebrows furrowed in thought. His glanced up at her, a frown on his slightly blue lips (the weather probably affecting him as well). "You can't walk." he stated bluntly.

Ayano shook her head in disagreement. She could walk perfectly fine. What could a few scraps do to ruin her ability to walk? She made her small smile widen, and took a step forward to show that she could indeed still walk. But she felt herself wobble around, and then fall forward landing into his arms. She flushed, embarrassed on how she was proved wrong by a stranger, and also by the fact that she couldn't even walk anymore.

"See? You can't walk at all." he set her gently back on her feet.

She bit at her lower lip once again, seeing that she was now forming a new awful habit from her petty nervousness.

"You're right," she murmured. "But what should I do?" she thought a moment, her mind lingering on the thought on why he was still here talking to her.

Without saying a word, he turned around, and went down on one knee. She stared at him, bewildered by his actions, and opened her mouth to say something but he spoke before she could.

"Get on my back." he demanded, his tone sounding barely forceful. "I can take you to a clinic that's nearby."

She gaped in shock at the mere suggestion of getting on someone's back, in such an intimate way! Not only that but on the back of someone of the opposite sex! She stayed where she was, stuck to the cement like glue. He glanced over his shoulder to raise an expectant eyebrow at her.

"Well? Are you going to get on or what?"

She shook her head. "I-I can't!" she squeaked out weakly.

"I'm trying to help you out here," He sounded annoyed. "You have the choice of either getting on, or me leaving you out here till you freeze to death. Take your pick."

Hesitantly, she got onto his back. Her arms wrapping over his shoulder in an uncomfortable manner, and her legs dangling as he started to rise up to his feet. He snaked his hands under her thighs letting her legs hang safely against his ribs, and as if from instinct she placed her hands on his shoulders, grasping onto them with a loose grip.

He left the bridge, going at an even casual pace, as he stared straight ahead. She stared at the back of his head, looking over his red hair curiously.

A sudden thought plagued her mind: Was that natural? She'd seen plenty of people around Nerima with their hair dyed bright colors, so the option that the sheer redness of his hair was a natural occurrence was highly doubtful.

"We're almost there," he suddenly told Ayano interrupting her thoughts.

Once they had arrived in front of the clinic, they immediately took notice of the note taped onto the glass door. He snatched the note off, and skimmed it over before he furiously crumbed it up and tossed it aside. Ayano watched in awe as it landed directly into the wastebasket that wasn't too far away from them.

She leaned forward slightly to ask. "What did it say?"

He grumbled something under his breath, before he said irritated. "Forget it. I'll just take you to my house." and with that he began to leave the clinic, heading in the direction that would bring them to his house.

However, a voice was shouting for them to stop. "Wait!" they cried. "Leaving so soon?"

He turned around to see a middle-aged man running towards them. Lagging behind the man was a woman, who was holding hands with a timid looking little girl. When the small group caught up to the two, the man was trying to catch his breath. Once he did so, he straightened up his posture, and leaned forward while adjusting his glasses.

"I haven't seen you around here in awhile," he lowered his glasses to the tip of his nose, and looked over them to skim over his face. "You must be taking care of yourself way better than your father ever could!"

The man laughed, and missed his facial expression twisting into that of pure anger. Ayano felt him tense against her and even slightly shake, but kept the inquiry to herself. Once the man's laughter had died down, he finally took notice of Ayano on his back.

A kind smile went on his lips that made Ayano wonder why she'd never thought to visit this clinic whenever she had an injury of some sort. "And who's that you have on your back, Ryuku?"

"Just some clumsy idiot," Ryuku spat harshly clearly still in a rage. This sudden change in his attitude shocked and hurt Ayano, who had thought him he was kinder then that. "She was being stupid, and now she can't walk."

The man nodded his head, taking in what Ryuku had told him, appearing oblivious of how angry he sounded or looked. "All right. Well, let's go take her inside, and I'll go see what the problem is."

* * *

After getting her knees taken care of and being told of the condition of her injuries Ayano left the patient room and into the waiting room, where Ryuku (who seemed to have calmed down) was strolling around the room with the girl, who she had seen earlier on his back and looking very happy. The woman was sitting on the sofa watching the two with a serene smile. She was the first one to notice Ayano, and kindly beckoned for her to join her on the couch. Ayano obliged and limped over towards her.

Once she was seated, the woman gave her a concerned look and asked how her knees were. "Dr. Tofu told me they're fine and that I shouldn't put too much stress on them." she answered.

The woman looked relieved. "That's good," she replied. Her eyes went on Ryuku and the girl, who Ayano assumed to be her daughter. When the sounds of the girl's laughter reached her ears, she beamed. "How do you know Ryuku? He's never really told us about any of his friends."

"Oh," was all Ayano said. "To be honest, I've only just met him."

For a split second a sad look went on her face, but it wasn't long before her frown was replaced with another smile. "I see," she murmured. "Well, he's a nice boy. He has a bit of his mother's anger and his father's…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"Nothing! I've said too much and we've only just met! Silly me," the woman quickly assured her with a giggle. "I don't think I've introduced myself yet! How rude of me! My name is Kasumi Ono (1)."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Ono." Ayano said. "I'm Ayano Makanai."

"Over there with Ryuku is my daughter, Misaki." she pointed at the girl, who Ryuku was giving a piggyback ride to. "She's always trying to get Ryuku to give her piggyback rides all the time." That would explain why he seemed to be so used to them. "Would you like to meet her?"

Ayano glanced over at Misaki, who she guessed be around the age of thirteen or so. She had short brown hair (the same shade as her mother's) that was slightly curled at the ends, with big brown eyes, and a round adorable face. Misaki was dressed in a lavender cotton sweater with ducks on the big front pockets, and a pair of dark pink pants with flower decorated snow boots.

"Misaki!" Kasumi called. Her daughter's gaze darted over to her and saw her gesturing for her to come over. Next, she turned her gaze over to Ayano and her grip tightened on Ryuku's shoulders. "Please come over here, Misaki! The nice girl wants to meet you!"

In response, Misaki simply shook her head. She buried her face onto the back of Ryuku's neck, and grabbed at Ryuku's jacket. Kasumi stopped her attempts into getting her daughter over, and with a dejected sigh turned her attention back to Ayano.

"You have to forgive her," she told Ayano, happiness from her smile drained. "It's hard for her to get used to people that she doesn't know. Her father and I are always trying to boost up her confidence, but she's stubborn."

"That's all right," Ayano assured Kasumi. "I'm sure she'll get better over time."

Kasumi's smile widened slightly. "I hope so," she murmured. "The only one she really opens up to is Ryuku. And I _still_ don't know why that is."

Dr. Tofu walked into the room and immediately went over to his wife to give her a peck on the cheek. "Ah, Ayano," she straightened up at the sudden mention of her name. "Anytime you have any other injuries, I'll be more then happy to take care of them! Any friend of Ryuku's is an instant friend of mine!"

Ayano and Kasumi shared a look. They just didn't have the heart to correct his mistake.

"Well, it's getting late," Dr. Tofu stated after a quick glance at the clock. "We should get going."

Kasumi took Dr. Tofu's hand and left him pull her up to her feet. "It was lovely meeting you, Ayano." she received a nod in reply. "Misaki, it's time to go home. You can play with your cousin some other time."

Misaki clung onto Ryuku's back like a leech, determined on not letting go of him. Ryuku made his way over to Dr. Tofu, who removed his daughter off him with hardly any effort on his part. When seeing the saddened look on Misaki's face, Ryuku plopped a hand down on top of her head and messed up her hair a bit. He gave her a small smile, which she returned with a wide grin that she quickly masked when meeting Ayano's stare.

"Ryuku," Dr. Tofu started. "Why don't you take Ayano home?"

Ryuku's smile fell as he looked at the aforementioned girl. "…ok."

* * *

Ayano struggled to keep up with Ryuku's strides. He was walking at a rather quick pace, like he was in a hurry to dump Ayano off and then head on his way home. She could understand the reason he may be doing this, Naori frequently informed her that her company was the absolute worst kind one could ask for. Ryuku glanced over his shoulder, and rolled his eyes in annoyance at how far behind she was.

"Sorry!" she said, as she tried to limp faster. "I'm so sorry, that I'm wasting your time."

Ryuku shook his head, and stopped to wait for her to catch up. As he watched her struggle to catch up to him, he felt his annoyance start to fizzle. "Do you need another piggyback ride?"

"There's no need for that. I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly unconvinced. "The last time you said that you _fell_ on me."

"I'm fine."

He looked like he was about to protest, but instead he gave her another small shake of his head. After having to stop for the third time on the way to her house, Ryuku decided to slow down somewhat. Ayano huffed and thought of things to say to break the silence between them. She had to deal with silences like this all the time at home.

Finally, her thoughts landed onto Misaki, and how relaxed Ryuku appeared at be at the time. "You and Misaki must have a really great relationship," she started, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Mrs. Ono told me that she's always asking for piggyback rides."

A curt nod was his answer.

Ayano wasn't about to give up yet. Even though he hadn't given her a worded answer, he had still responded. "…your cousin seems like a very sweet girl."

Ryuku stopped walking and turned around to face her. "I know what you're doing," he informed her. "And all I'm going to say is: _stop talking_. My uncle only said that I had to walk you home, not that we had to be _friends_. Sorry, if you had your hopes up or whatever, but if you want someone to talk to I suggest that you look for someone else."

The rest of the way to her house was spent in complete silence.

* * *

At school Ayano was used to everyone ignoring her existence, since she knew herself to be easily forgettable in both personality and appearance. However, as she walked on her way to the school building, she couldn't help but notice that the people around her were staring in her general direction. Ayano checked for any sign of what they could at gawking at. The next thing she noticed was that she could hear people whispering behind her back. Once again, she looked for what the source of their gawking and whispering could be, and found nothing.

The only time when she was finally told anything was when it was time for lunch, and a crowd of her peers suddenly charged around her desk demanding questions about she wasn't familiar with. The boy in front slammed his hands onto the desk, silencing everyone else.

He hesitated, before finally saying lowly. "…Ayano is it?" when she nodded her head to confirm her identity, the boy quickly exchanged glances with everyone. "Is it true?"

Ayano blinked. "…is what true?"

"Don't play dumb!" he hissed. He lowered himself to her eye level, and repeated his question. Only to have Ayano echo her previous question. "You were walking with Ryuku Saotome? Is it true, or what?"

A boy next to him elbowed the other one and whispered. "Someone told me that he saw him give her a piggyback ride somewhere. Her clothes were all bloody, and she," he pointed a finger at Ayano. "Looked fucking terrified!"

"Ohmigosh!" a girl gasped in horror. "I'd be scared too!" she put a shoulder on Ayano, and gave her a comforting squeeze. "Are you all right, _Ayuki _(2)?"

Suddenly, everyone was loudly blabbering about the rumors revolving around the red head. Ayano meekly raised her hand up, not knowing what else to do. Eventually their voices died down and they eagerly listened to what Ayano had to say.

"I did walk home with him," Ayano answered. "And he did give me a piggyback ride, because I had hurt myself."

The boy in front gaped at her. "And you _survived_!"

Ayano's shoulders slumped, and she fiddled around with the ribbon on her uniform. "I don't understand," she said. "What's so bad about Ryuku?"

"You haven't heard any of the rumors about him?" a boy near the back asked in disbelief. Ayano nodded. "How could you not know about him? Everyone around school does!"

The girl who was still holding onto her shoulder whispered in her ear. "I heard that he sent _ten _men to a hospital, because they were making fun of his hair!"

A shocked gasp came from Ayano, and she backed away to stare at the girl incredulously. "R-really?"

"You know, why his hair is so red?" the boy questioned Ayano. She vigorously shook her head. "It's from all the people he's beaten up. You see, he has knife on him that I heard his dad, who is like some sort of serial killer, gave to him as a gift before he ditched him as a kid. He uses that knife to cut up the guy so that he bleeds a little more, and he bathes in that shit!"

A boy next to him bobbed his head in agreement. "Yeah! He's got so much red in his hair, because of all the blood it soaked up!"

"His nickname is _Bloody Knife Saotome_," Ayano leaned back away from the boy in front, who had started shifting closer towards her. "He beats you up until you bleed all over, guts you open so that you bleed even more, and then he pours your blood into a tub where he'll spend the rest of the night bathing in until the next morning when he'll start all over."

Ayano swallowed nervously. She thought back a few weeks ago to the time when she first met him. Besides behaving in a rude manner, he didn't seem to have any murderous tendency nor did he have a weapon of some sort. Ryuku had acted so sweetly towards Misaki. It was impossible to think of him in the way the teenagers around her were describing him.

"I…" she stammered. "I don't believe any of that."

They all stared at her strangely. When the bell rang, signaling that it was the end of lunch everyone dispersed from her desk leaving Ayano alone to think to herself.

* * *

Ayano stared down at the piece of paper Dr. Tofu had given her when she had asked for Ryuku's address. She looked back up at the tall wooden gates that surrounded the large dojo behind it. Her feet were reluctant on moving forward, and her heart hadn't slowed down ever since she had first arrived in front of the place (which was ten minutes ago). Suddenly, the gates were pushed open and a woman with short blue hair and wearing a uniform that belonged to an unfamiliar restaurant came rushing out.

She nearly knocked Ayano down in the process, and feverously apologized. "I almost flattened you!" she huffed, with a flush on her cheeks. She was jogging in place, and was most likely in a rush. Her eyes recognized the uniform Ayano was wearing, and she looked back at the dojo. "Are you…?"

"Ah, yes!" Ayano cut in with a nervous stutter. "I'm here for Ryuku."

The woman skimmed over the paper, recognizing Dr. Tofu's messy writing and gave her a tired smile. "Just go on in then," she cocked her head towards the opened gates. "If I wasn't so late for work, I'd try to attempt at a conversation." She checked the time on her wristwatch, and angrily cursed under her breath. "I hope to see you again!"

Ayano watched her run off, leaving with a departing wave. She walked inside, and gaped in awe at the mere size of the house in front of her. The house looked to be about two stories high, with a rich color of white paint covering the walls. An old giant oak tree stood a few feet away from her. Ayano could hear the tree's wails as the branches moved along with the breeze that blew past. Because of the size of the tree, she barely saw the small koi pond underneath it. As she stood at the front door, she noticed a sign hung next to the wooden door. Written neatly on the wood was the household's name.

It read: 'The Saotome Residence'.

She rang the doorbell, and patiently waited for someone to answer. When the door opened, she had expected to see Ryuku standing in front of her. However, in his place was a girl, who was a head shorter then she was. The girl looked to be her age, or maybe a year or so younger. She had short dark black hair that was styled in a boyish cut, but fit around her round face.

Her clothes appeared to be made of silk, and had a Chinese design. Ayano knew the uniform to be from the Cat Café that a large majority of the people at school loved to go to. The uniform was a light pink color, and had yellow daises embroidered all over the top and slacks. The girl's figure was petite and dainty, opposed to Ayano's awkward and lack of figure. What Ayano couldn't understand was: if Ryuku's reputation was so well-known, then how come no one mentioned that he had a sister?

Grey eyes were focused on Ayano's as if signaling for her to talk.

"…is Ryuku home?"

She shook her head. "He's _out_."

"Could you leave him a message?" she asked hopefully. It would be better for his sister to tell him what she had to say then for a stranger. The girl sighed, but nodded her head. "Well, I'm sure he's aware that there are people at school who talk about him in a not so nice way."

"Uh huh," the girl grunted disinterested, she raised a hand up to inspect her nails. "Is that all you wanted to say?"

"I just want you to tell him that I don't think any of that is true," Ayano quickly said. The girl glanced up from her nails, her pink lips drooping to a frown. "I don't know if your brother told you this, but he helped me a few weeks ago." when all she head was silence, she continued. "Everyone at school were telling me these nasty rumors about him…and to be honest, I almost believe them. But after I've seen how he was with Misaki, I can't possibly think that he'd ever harm anyone. He _can't_ be a bad guy."

The girl shuffled her feet. She scratched at her cheek, her lips now pressed into a thin line. "Is that all?"

Ayano thought of what else she had been practicing on the way to say to him. When all she drew was a blank, she nodded. "That's all," she confirmed. "Can you please tell him what I told you?"

"He's…" she paused. "Kind of stubborn. But I'll do my best into getting him to listen to me."

"Thank you so much!"

Ayano left with a skip in her step, feeling like she'd done the greatest thing in the world.

* * *

(1) I have no idea, if it should be Kasumi Tofu or Kasumi Ono. So, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

(2) USELESS FUN FACT: Ayano's name used to originally be Ayuki. But it was changed, since it was spelt to close to Ryuku.

So, this story of mine has been up here for quite awhile. I don't really have a _good_ reason for why I've left it to collect dust. All I can say is that I hope you enjoyed this chapter (the classroom/rumor scene was fun to write! Hope the rumors sounded really lame!), and look forward to the next! ;)


	3. Ch 2: The Taste of Friendship

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

_This is a Generation Fanfic, by the way. I know it's been a concept that's been done before, but I thought I'd take a shot at making my own. Hope it's different from any other ones you may have seen before. _

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* * *

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**Chapter 2: **The Taste of Friendship

_His mother had tucked him in bed about an hour ago, despite his boasting proclaims that he wasn't even the least bit sleepy. He had snuck out, once he was positive that he wouldn't get caught for going against his mother's wishes for him to sleep. As he made his way down the dark hallway, making sure that each step he made didn't make a single sound, an accident giggle slipped from his mouth. He'd always feel the need to laugh, whenever he was doing anything that fueled up his excitement. _

_He held a hand firmly over his mouth not wanting to risk anymore sounds escaping. There was no way he was going to let himself get caught, when he had avoided bedtime plenty of times before. However, unlike those previous times he already had a destination in mind. It was the usual place he'd go to ever since he found the thing in a battered up box behind Uncle Tofu's clinic. He brought it home without both of his parents knowing a thing, and they still had no idea that he was using the unoccupied guestroom as it's temporary home. _

_He was proud of himself for how well he had hidden it behind his parent's backs, especially since his father had such a terrible fear over the things. The first thing he needed before visiting the kitten would be to drop by the kitchen to fetch it some snacks. The last time he had fed it was last night, and by now the poor thing was probably starving. He could hear overhear a conversation going on between his parents as he went by their room. Lately, his father was having a lot more yelling contests with his mother. _

"_It's not a big deal, Ranma!" _

_In response, a rude snort came from his father. "It's not a big deal?" he repeated with venom. "You can think that it isn't Akane, but I think it's definitely worth something to make a big deal out of!"_

_A loud exasperated scream came from his mother. "You're overreacting!"_

_His father's voice was louder. He had a hunch that his father was going to win this contest this time around. "The only reason I'm overreacting is because you don't seem to care!" _

_There was a sound of something being thrown and then glass breaking. Curiosity got the better of him as he crept closer towards their door that was left slightly open. He peeked inside the crack to see his father pacing around the room. He saw that the vase that Grandma Nodoka had given his parents as an anniversary gift wasn't on the nightstand anymore that was located next to their window, which was now broken. _

_His mother was sitting on the edge of her bed, her hands set on top of her lap and grabbing at the material of her pajama bottoms. Her eyes focused on the pieces of glass in front of her feet. "How can you say that I don't care?" she sounded so exhausted. "You think that I don't care about my own son?_ Our_ son?"_

_His father stomped his foot down on the hard wood floors, the impact from the hit cracking the flooring and making the shards of glass dance in the air momentarily before landing. "Akane," he murmured softly. "He wasn't supposed to…"_

"_Wasn't supposed to what?" his mother asked him, unfazed by his hit to the floor. His hung his head down, while his bangs shielded his eyes away blocking the emotion that was flaring. He balled his hands into angry trembling fists, and his shoulders began to shake. She carefully avoided the glass, and embraced him. "It'll be all right, Ranma. I promise it will." _

_He gently broke the contact between them. "How can you say that?" his voice broke off towards the end. "I only want him to be happy."_

"_Who says he isn't happy?"_

"_You don't get it, Akane. He's just a kid now," his father muttered. "But when he grows up, he'll have to deal with the same crap that I still have to deal with," he put his hands on her shoulders. "Why does this stuff keep happening to me? I don't know how much more I can handle."_

"_Ranma, he's not you, you don't know how he'll act," she sighed. "Can't we not think of the future? Let's focus on what's happening right now."_

"_Every since I found out about it, _all_ I've been thinking about is the future! You wouldn't understand unless you were in my shoes!" his father exclaimed. "You'll never know how it feels, Akane. And I wanted the same thing to happen to Ryuku. But just like always that can't happen to a guy like me! Something always have to go wrong with my life, otherwise I'm not Ranma Saotome!"_

"_Ranma…"_

"_Akane," this time it was his father who pulled his mother into a hug. "I really wish he could have gotten something else from me."_

* * *

Ryuku's eyelashes fluttered a bit before he opened his eyes. His vision was slightly blurred from having just woken up from his nap. When his eyes adjusted the first thing invading his eyesight was a catlike grin. He was already regretting losing touch with his subconscious mind. He groaned and turned away from the grin, while shutting his eyes in hopes of falling back asleep. A childish whine was heard above him, and then a hand with a strong grip took hold of his arm and began to roughly shake him.

"I know you're awake!" he forced himself to snore obnoxiously. "As much as I'd like to stay and watch you sleep, I only came to remind you that my mother expects you to be at the Cat Café an hour earlier then usual," she knew he was pretending that he had fallen back asleep, and greedily took the opportunity to leave a quick kiss on his cheek. "That was my thank you gift. Ever since you started working for us, business has gotten so much better! I have to go now; my mother wants to me return for deliveries!"

He rose up once she was sure she had left, and wiped the cheek she had kissed with the back of his hand. A gentle breeze blew past, tossing his already disheveled hair about somewhat. He glanced up at the calming sky above him, but found the serene colors and scenery doing nothing to calm him down from his dream. A wistful sigh went past his parted lips, before he flopped back down on the ground. He settled down against the grass with his arms underneath his head, prepared to spend the rest of his lunch with no more distractions. However, the only way he could achieve that was if he got rid of the other distraction that was watching his earlier exchange with his co-worker.

"Are you going to keep hiding there all day?"

With a startled squeak, Ayano peered out from her hiding spot, which was a tree, located closely where Ryuku was resting. Ryuku let his eyes shut, and was tempted to take another nap. Not knowing what else to do, Ayano retreated from behind the tree and slowly approached him.

"You're really nosy."

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" Ayano was quick to assure him. He snorted in disagreement, and turned his head to nestle the side of his face against his uniform sleeve. The only reason she had stopped by was to ask him a quick inquiry. "…did you have a talk with your sister lately? Possibly a conversation about those awful rumors about you?"

Ryuku lifted his head up to glare at her. "If I answer you, will you leave me alone?"

"O-Of course!"

"I may have heard _some things_," he answered carefully. "But I don't know why you even bothered visiting. I've _always_ had to deal with those stupid rumors, so you're little speech on trying to—I don't know, get me to _like_ you—was pointless," he rested his head back onto the grass and added. "People can believe what they choose to believe, as long as I know the truth I'm happy. And when that day comes where I actually care about what people think about me, I'll be sure to let you be the first person to know."

He could sense her feel the need to say something, but he interjected with a sneer. "This is the part where you follow your end of the deal and get the hell away from me."

**

* * *

**

Her heart wasn't slowing down, but that was understandable considering that it felt like she recently ran a marathon. She hadn't meant to run away from him, it was like her legs had a mind of their own when she suddenly broke into a sprint. The unevenness of the tree bark pressed onto her back made her resting spot less comfortable, but she ignored it choosing instead to focus on catching her breath and to make her head quit pounding.

Ayano didn't think that she would ever get used to how intense his stare was. Every time he spared a glance in her direction, it was as if he was brutally murdering her using only his cold blue eyes as weapons. Without warning, hands were grasping onto her shoulders with a fierce grip.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Naori hissed through her teeth. Hesitantly, she lifted her head up to suffer from her sister's fury. "Lately all I've been hearing is people gossiping about you and that freaky Saotome kid! I thought it was all bullshit until I saw you trying to engage into a conversation with him! God, why did I have to get such a stupid sister like you?"

"N-Naori, I didn't—"

"When I told you to leave me and my friends alone, and to go make some friends of your own," her grip on Ayano's shoulders tightened. "I didn't mean for you to make friends with someone that sends people to the hospital!"

"Naori," Ayano squeaked out. "You're hurting me."

Behind them, doing nothing but watching the scene before them was three of Naori's friends. The only one that Ayano could name was the girl in the middle, who was named Kazuko. She knew Naori the longest out of the three, and was also the nicest. Around Furinkan Kazuko was labeled as a huge tomboy due to her short boyish black hair, her brash personality, and the fact that she only time she wore a skirt was when she wore her uniform.

Kazuko came over towards them and ruffled Naori's hair up until it was slightly puffed up in the back. "Don't be so mean to her," she flashed Ayano a smile over Naori's shoulder. "At least she has the guts to talk to the guy. We have to give her props for that."

Her grip loosened on Ayano, as she turned to face Kazuko. "Stop supporting her stupidity! The only thing I'll give her props for is the lack of brain that she has!" she shot her sister a disgusted look, and shoved her away. "Weren't you complaining that you were hungry, Kazuko?"

Kazuko raised an eyebrow at Naori, who was fixing her hair that she had messed up. "Didn't you say you were broke?"

This time Naori shot Ayano an expectant look. "I'm sure Ayano has _something_ she can give you."

"I'm not going to take stuff from your sister!" Kazuko protested. She saw much to her dismay that Ayano was already searching through her schoolbag. "My stomach can wait until school is over."

Ayano blocked out the conversation going on between Naori and her friends, her eyes vacantly stared at the bento that she was going to offer to Kazuko in her hand. She was particularly proud of her ability to cook. It was the only thing that her father and sister complimented her on, and she treasured those compliments more than anything. Ayano walked to the other side of the tree, Ryuku was right where she had seen him last laying on the grass and most likely sleeping. She stared back down at the bento.

Maybe there was another shot at getting on his good side after all.

**

* * *

**

Ryuku didn't understand why she was bothering him again, especially during lunch where people knew better then to invade his usual lunch spot. He was faking that he was taking a nap, his ears picking up the sounds of her nervous breathing and irregular heartbeat. He cracked an eye open, seeing her standing much closer then he expected.

"What now?" wordlessly, she dropped something on his chest. He sat upright, hands grabbing at what she dropped and brought it up to his face. It was a bento, wrapped up nicely with a pink handkerchief and a pair of chopsticks on top. Confusion washed over his face. "…I don't get it." No one has ever given him one of these things before (unless those failed attempts from his mother counted).

"You eat it," Ayano informed him. "Well, you eat the food inside it."

Ryuku refrained himself from throwing the bento at her face. "I _know_ what it is!" he snapped defensively. "What I meant was…" he exhaled through his mouth, calming himself down. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Ayano simply spun around and ran with a departing demand. "Just eat it!"

He leapt onto his feet, bento still in hand, and ran after her. The chase itself was pathetic, since he caught up to her with no problem at all. He jumped up and used a nearby tree to leverage himself up higher into the air and landed right in front of her. Ayano shrieked in surprise, while falling ungracefully on her butt.

He tossed the bento on top of her lap. "Running was pretty pointless." He turned to leave, but she stopped him by taking hold of the bottom of his uniform jacket. "Don't you know what: leave me alone means?" he glanced over to see her down on her knees, looking uncharacteristically determined. "Are you going to keep bothering me?"

Ayano picked up the bento. "Please take it. Think of it as an apology for me eavesdropping on you last time."

Ryuku wasn't going to give in. "I'm not very hungry—" as if on cue; the sounds from his stomach rumbling loudly contradicted his statement. He pressed a hand against his stomach looking as if it betrayed him. When he heard a giggle, he gave Ayano a glare when he saw her lips curl into an amused smile. "Give me the damn thing."

He snatched it from her, and ripped the handkerchief off with one hand while his other broke the chopsticks apart. After mumbling a few words of gratitude under his breath, he tentatively started to dig in. With his cheeks slightly puffed up from the food shoved in his mouth, he stopped eating. A blank expression was on his face, as he posed his chopsticks over his lips and several grains of rice that didn't make it on his mouth stuck on the edge of his lips.

"What's wrong?" Ayano asked. "Does it taste bad?"

Ryuku shook his head and chewed a few more times before swallowing the food in his mouth. Ayano must have been imaging things when she saw tears slowly start to form in his eyes. "…what the hell?" he blinked back his tears. He noticed the weird looks he was getting from Ayano, and shut his mouth. Awkwardly, he handed the bento back to Ayano.

Ayano was confused. Did that mean he_ liked_ it? "Why don't you eat the rest?" She placed the bento back in his hands.

He only stared down at the food, and quickly finishing it off. He sheepishly gave her the empty bento. "Um, thanks, I guess."

They stood in place for several seconds with an uncomfortable silence suffocating them. Ryuku started to walk away when he noticed a glint in her eyes that rubbed him off in the wrong way. Ayano scrambled onto her feet, brushing the dirt off her knees as she did so, and went after him. She had already succeeded with the first part of her plan, and wasn't about to stop the plan was completed.

"Wait!" she shouted. "I have an offer for you!"

Ryuku reluctantly turned around to face her. "What do you want now?" he spat out irritably. "Don't think that we're friends now that I ate your food."

"You mentioned that you don't eat lunch," she said. "What if I make lunch for you from now on?"

He stared at her like she'd grown two heads. "…why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Think of it as a way for me to show my gratitude for when you saved me."

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "You still going on what about that?" he asked. "If I knew how much a pain in the ass you were going to be, I would have just left you there."

"Please," Ayano begged. "Just let me do something for you. This is the only way I know how to show how grateful I am."

His gaze dropped to the empty bento she was holding onto, and his stomach hummed in appreciation. "…_fine,_" he gritted out. "But that's all you're doing for me. I don't need any friends."

**

* * *

**

At the sound of the dismissing bell, everyone quickly gathered their things and made their way out of the classroom. Each person was looking forward to heading back home after a day of hard work. A boy who had started putting his things away a bit later then the others, got out of his desk and noticed something laying on the floor.

He slipped his schoolbag onto his back, and bent down to pick it up. Immediately, he recognized the dropped item as the top that belonged to one of the cute waitresses at the popular restaurant called the Cat Café. His mind drifted off on who the top could have belonged to. Most of the girls in his class didn't have the right figure to pull the uniform off, or the cuteness that enticed more and more customers to come each day.

A chill went down his spine. He could already tell that something bad was about to happen from how tense the air suddenly felt around him. When a hand plopped down on his shoulder, he stiffened. His legs began to shake uncontrollably, and he knew that sooner or later he'd have to look to see who the hand belonged to. With a gulp, he fearfully turned his head and let out an unmanly shriek.

"Do you _always _take people's things?"

The boy stuttered an incoherent sentence. He was flipped around so that he was facing Ryuku. When he started walking towards him, he clumsily stumbled back a few steps. He tried keeping one eye on Ryuku and used the other to make sure he wouldn't crash into anything behind him. His back bumped against the cabinet in the back of the classroom, and found much to his horror that he was now cornered with no where else to escape. He clenched his eyes, waiting for the brutal beating and trip to the hospital. Maybe if he was lucky enough, he'd be passed out for most it.

Ryuku was disgusted when he saw that he had peed himself. He plucked the top from his hands, and exited the classroom not wanting to know what _else_ he did in his pants.

**

* * *

**

"Have you guys seen Ryuku?"

The small group that Ayano had caught leaving a classroom each gave her identical stares. They all looked as if they were staring at a maniac. She was searching all over the school for any sign of him, since she had skipped lunch for the day from volunteering to help a teacher out with grading tests. She didn't want him to think that she was breaking her own promise to him by not giving him his daily bento.

One of the boys finally asked. "Why the hell do you want to find him?"

"Do you know where he could be at?"

"He's probably in the bathroom," the boy in the middle answered. "That's where he usually goes afterschool to wash off all the blood on his knife."

Ayano thanked them and then dashed over to where the boy had told her. She leaned back into the wall behind, standing next to the boy's bathroom door and waited patiently for the red head. Inside she heard the water from the sink turned on to full power. When the door swung open, Ayano took out the bento and bowed down apology already leaving her lips.

She tilted her head back and her eyes landed on the face of Ryuku's sister. Like the last time she had seen her, she was wearing the same apparel as before. Drops of water fell from her black tresses, and she was holding onto the handle of Ryuku's schoolbag so that it was over her shoulder. Ayano stepped inside the bathroom, prepared to slide the bento under a stall if she had to, only to be dragged back outside by a frantic Ryuku's sister.

"What are you doing?" she stood in front of the door acting as a roadblock when Ayano made another attempt to go inside. "Are you an idiot? That's the_ boy's_ bathroom!"

"I know that," Ayano said. "I wasn't going to do my business in there. All I need to do is give this to your brother."

She remained where she was. "I'll give it to him."

"Why is it ok for you to go in?" Ayano asked the shorter girl suspiciously. She wasn't being entirely serious, but couldn't help but mention something. "In case you haven't noticed, you're not a boy either."

"I _am_ a—" she stopped herself, forcing herself to calm down. "That's not the point here. You came here to give that to Ryuku, and I told you that I'd do it for you."

Ayano laughed. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was only joking with you." Ryuku's sister grabbed the bento from her with a scowl. "It was so nice to see you again."

She tucked the bento under her arm so she could flick her damp bangs out of her eyes. "How long are you planning on loitering in front of the boy's bathroom?"

Her cheerful mood vanished just as soon as it started. "I was only making conversation."

"Well, don't," Ayano blinked. That harshness sounded eerily familiar. "How many times do I have to tell you this? I don't need any friends." She abruptly covered her mouth with her hand, only to remove it a second later to hiss. "F-Forget what I just said!"

To herself, she murmured while her eyes trailed after her retreating figure. "…I can see the resemblance."

**

* * *

**

"So," Ryuku looked up from the patch of grass he was staring at. "Your sister looks to be about our age. Why doesn't she go to our school?"

Ayano was pulling at the strands of grass in front of her, creating a small mountain of grass next to her shoe. He refused to make small talk with her, and focused on finishing the rest of his lunch. The same thing happened every day: Ayano would take a seat not to far away from him after handing him his bento, then attempt to get him to start talking. He'd reply by quickly engulfing the meal down and send her off with her empty bento, his stomach already thinking of the food for the next day.

He lowered the bento from his mouth to set it down on his thigh, and swiped the rice off his chin with his thumb. "Well, I'm done," he grunted. He threw the bento in front of her, destroying her grass mountain. "See you tomorrow."

"Can't you at least answer me before I leave?"

Ryuku shook his head.

"What if I gave you more than one bento?"

"Are you really trying to bribe me with…_food_?" when she nodded, he laughed. "Wow. You must be desperate," Ayano dejectedly picked up the bento. "Ok. I'll answer you just this once."

She beamed with excitement. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said. "Don't get used to it though." She promised she wouldn't. "Ok. You ready for my answer?" this time she nodded with enthusiasm. "Here it is: it's none of your business. Now leave."

**

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**

Ayano spent most of last night working on filling up seven bentos for Ryuku. The whole time she daydreamed of how he'd be so touched by her spending the time to put in more effort with providing lunch for him, and would spill everything that she asked him about. She knew that her expected reaction from him was ridiculous, but that didn't stop hopes from being crushed just yet.

When the bell for lunch rang, Ayano picked up the paper bag that she had put Ryuku's lunch in and made her way through the people choosing to eat lunch in the classroom. Once she left the classroom, she was attacked several pairs of hands grabbing her and then yanking her into an empty classroom.

She was shoved onto the teacher's chair. "W-what's going on?"

"We should be the ones asking _you_ that."

A group of at least six people were crowding around her, making Ayano think back to the time when a crowd had gathered around her desk and demanded to know about what occurred during her first encounter with Ryuku. A girl who seemed to be the group's leader with the way she stood with a rebelling defiance.

Her hand shot out and grabbed the front of her uniform. A nasty scowl was on her lips that were smeared with lip gloss and had two lip rings on her bottom lip. "We've been watching you," she sneered. "You're always bringing that freak lunch and shit. What are you his _bitch_?"

"N-no—"

"Hey," she shook Ayano around to quiet her. "I'm the one that's talking now. Not you. You got that, Bloody Knife Saotome's bitch?" her eyes narrowed on Ayano. "I don't get what a fuckup like him could see in a chick like you. You're practically bones just waiting to collapse."

"I'm not—"

"Didn't I tell you that it's my turn to talk?" the girl snarled. "The rumors going on right now are that you and him are somewhat of an item. Now, even though you're his bitch, you don't seem like the type that'd jump into anyone's bed. Anyway, I just came here to tell you something," her group started to cackle. "And I don't mean to burst you're bubble, but you know, I heard that he _raped_ someone."

A smug smirk played across her lips when she saw Ayano's eyes widen in horror. "Yeah, some poor chick that used to babysit him," she told her. "He really _liked_ that chick. But the problem was that she had a boyfriend, and he hated his guts. So, you know what he did to the guy?"

Ayano saw that the group had moved away from the door. She attempted an escape but was shoved back down. "Well, you could always ask him what happened. But I don't think you'd get much out of him, since he's still in a coma." she snickered. "Man, she was so fucked up after it happened that she got the hell out of Nerima. You never know when he might do the same to you, so I suggest you leave while you still have the chance."

"That's great," everyone stiffened at the intruder's voice. "Is story time over?"

The girl scrambled away from Ayano as if she was made of poison, and went to her group. Ryuku never looked happy, but the current expression on his face told everyone that he was out looking for blood. Ayano wasn't sure if she should go over to him, or go hide with the others.

He walked over to Ayano and took the paper bag away from her. "Thanks for the food." And she was so tempted to stop him from leaving to make him tell the truth, so the rumors would stop altogether.

But the only problem was that she was having a hard time deciding if what she was just told was the truth or not.

**

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And that's the end of this chapter! Thanks for everyone who took the time to review! The girl that kissed Ryuku on the kiss will be more properly introduced in a later chapter. Hope it was somewhat enjoyable (even though rape is not something to laugh about that stupid girl), and I also hope you look forward to whatever happens next! Oh and be sure to tell me if you spot any mistakes!

**boomwarrior13:** I'll definitely explain what happened to Ranma! Don't worry! **Anonymous:** Thanks for the correction! And how Ryuku's reputation got to be that will be told eventually! **Shadowalker666: **Well, Ranma won't be coming back for a long time. But hopefully his cameo in this chapter made up for it a little bit! **James Birdsong:** Thanks! You're cool too! ;) **ziggi92: **whatever happened to Ranma will be told eventually! It would be fun if he was locked in his female form as punishment for leaving Akane and Ryuku. **inu-yusukekaiba102: **Here's that update! ;)


	4. Ch 3: Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: P1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

_This is a Generation Fanfic, by the way. I know it's been a concept that's been done before, but I thought I'd take a shot at making my own. Hope it's different from any other ones you may have seen before. _

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**Chapter 3:** Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: Part 1

In about ten minutes the school day was about to start. Ryuku's cousin, Misaki Ono, eyes were fixated on the clock hanging above the teacher's desk, intently watching each minute that past by while she sat at her desk. About half of the classroom was filled with early students. Some of them had their heads down on their desks most likely asleep, and others were hurriedly finishing up the homework that was assigned from the day before.

The second hand of the clock went around another time. Only six minutes were left now. Misaki had placed out all the supplies that she would need for today's lesson, which wasn't much but her notebook and pink mechanical pencil. To distract herself during those remaining minutes, she opened up her notebook to a clean page and started to doodle. There was the sound of the door slamming open, and all the noises in the classroom immediately stopped. Misaki locked her gaze on her drawing, knowing fully well who had entered the classroom, and paid close attention to how she drew certain patterns on the paper.

Hands grasped the front of her desk and then tipped the desk backwards so that the notebook slid off and landed on top of her lap. Misaki only looked up to check the time—four minutes—and then retreated back to trace over the letters carved onto the cheap surface of the desk with her fingertip. The hands grip tightened from being ignored, resulting in breaking off chunks from the unnecessary amount of added force. Misaki felt herself flying backwards from the lack of support keeping her from colliding with the desk behind her. The hands grabbed onto the upper part of the desk, yanking her back down to the floor with a loud screeching sound.

Once again, she looked up but instead of checking for the time she gazed up at the boy with the monster strength. His short black hair was in disarray, looking like he had just gotten out of bed and hadn't bothered to fix up his hair, and the faint sparkle from the black collar around his neck caught her attention for a split second. His dark brown eyes that could be mistaken for the color black were narrowed on her with his lips set into a scowl that made one of his fangs jut out over his bottom lip somewhat.

"I have detention today. That means afterschool you're going to wait for me in front of the school," he informed her firmly. "Now, I don't know when I'm going to be let out, but if I go out there and see that you've left…" When the bell rang, Misaki exhaled the breath she wasn't aware that she was holding. "Let's just say that nothings ever stopped me from hitting a _girl_."

Students began to file into the classroom. Even though Misaki was in the front of the classroom, and was positive that everyone saw what was happening they all knew better than to get involved. He grabbed onto Misaki's wrist and forced her to get up. She yanked her hand out of his loose grip, and hurriedly gathered her things. He retook her wrist once she had gotten everything, and dragged her over to a desk located near the back of the classroom. However to the boy's annoyance, there was already a boy sitting in the seat he had brought her to.

"Hey, jackass, get out of her seat." he demanded, using his free hand to shove the textbooks the boy had stacked up on top onto the floor. The boy cried out in fear, jumping out of his seat to pick his textbooks up, while ushering out a long apology before making his hasty departure. "_Sit_."

Misaki was looking over at the teacher, who was busying himself by organizing the minimal mess on his desk. Their teacher was heavily organized. It was clear to anyone that he was doing this to avoid having to get involved with him. When he set down the stack of papers in his hand, he reluctantly stared at them. He wasn't getting paid enough to have to deal with troublemakers like that.

He cleared his throat, and called out. "Takumi Hibiki, would you please take your seat? Today's lesson is about to start."

Like always, he ignored the teacher, and ushered for Misaki to sit by taking hold of her shoulders and shoving her down. After doing that, Takumi took a seat at the empty desk next to Misaki. It was convenient how he had taken the pleasure of changing her original seat next to his. And like she predicted, the teacher didn't mention a thing about the new seating arrangement.

**

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**

"…Misaki?" She faced the direction where she heard her name called and saw her cousin saunter over towards where she was standing. He was wearing his school uniform, and had his schoolbag under his arm. "What are you still doing here? Didn't your school let you out a few hours ago?"

Ryuku stumbled back a few steps when Misaki closed the distance between them to pull him into a tight embrace. "Don't you have work today?" she asked.

"I got off awhile ago," he paused, looking around to see the school mostly deserted save for a few students loitering near the school building. "I guess since I'm already going your way, I might as well take you home."

She lifted her head up from his chest to answer his question with an affirmative nod. Ryuku placed a hand on her head and returned Misaki's smile with one of his own. When Misaki went to fetch her things that she had placed on the tree she had chosen as her waiting spot, his smile fell and he turned his head towards the school building. Ever since he had entered the school yard, he could feel someone's eyes on him. Someone was looking out of one of the windows located near the top of the building, and when they noticed Ryuku staring in their direction they shut the curtains.

Misaki skipped over to Ryuku, and grabbed onto one of his hands. She noticed him glaring to the side. "…what's wrong?"

Ryuku turned his attention back to his cousin. "Don't worry about it. It's getting late, and I'm sure your parents are starting to get worried."

"When you drop me off, do you think you could stay for awhile?"

**

* * *

**

It was the middle of homeroom class, and Misaki was listening to the teacher's lecture. She was writing down every important fact of the lesson in her notebook. Suddenly, something poked her cheek. It was a pencil eraser. Takumi whistled at a low volume to get her attention on him. It took Misaki awhile for her to face him, her mind filled with thoughts of what Takumi would possibly want to say to her, after she had ditched him yesterday.

When she turned towards him, the first thing that caught her eyes was the out of character smile on his lips. Misaki tensed, immediately seeing through his feigned cheerful smile. Next, Takumi's smile widened and his face brightened, he was even so bold as to let out an amused chuckle.

"Can I see your notes?" he asked, pointing the end of his pencil at her notebook. Misaki slightly relaxed, but not completely knowing that there was more to the conversation than he was letting on. "It's hard to pay attention in this class when the teacher sucks at teaching. Your notes would help me out a lot, since you're so good at taking them."

In response, Misaki simply nodded.

Takumi began to tap his fingers on his desk, which drew her attention to the desk's surface. She couldn't help but notice that there was nothing on top it. This made her even more suspicious on why he'd ask for her notes, when he clearly didn't need them. Takumi dropped his head back to gaze up at the ceiling. He was humming an unfamiliar tune under his breath, and seemed to now have his center of attention on the tacky design of the ceiling tiles.

Misaki took this as a sign that their short conversation was now over. She averted her gaze back to the teacher, hoping that she hadn't missed out on anything too important from her chat with Takumi. Several minutes past when Takumi would bother her again, this time to get her attention he dropped his hand down on top of her notebook. His fingers gripped onto the notebook and ripped out the piece of paper that had her notes. Misaki squeaked out in protest, only to miserably watch as Takumi ripped her notes into pieces.

"Detention lasted longer then I thought it would," he said, the calmness in his voice made Misaki tense up. "You didn't wait for me like I told you to," Takumi cocked his head to the side, his bangs falling out of his eyes. Misaki could feel his intense gaze close in on her. "But I guess I shouldn't have expected you to wait for so long, since it was starting to get pretty late." His tapping got louder. It was distracting her attention, making it had for her on the conversation. "There's nothing I have to take care of afterschool today, so you won't have to wait as long for me to show up. Isn't that _great_?"

Misaki bobbed her head up and down, watching as the pieces of paper landed on the floor. She dreaded for the end of school that was slowly approaching with each minute that past by.

**

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**

Her pace sped up as she and Takumi exited the school building. School had ended a few minutes ago, and Takumi was quick to find where her last class was so that they could walk home together. Takumi didn't mind that she was walking faster than he would have liked, they both knew that if she tried running off he'd easily be able to catch up to her.

Misaki brought her textbooks closer to her chest, wishing that she was anywhere but where she was at the moment. She'd much rather be off somewhere with her cousin. He was the only person who made her feel that she was actually safe and out of harm's way. She doubted that he'd be anywhere near the middle school. He was probably busy making money at work or doing whatever else he did while she wasn't around. However, as if her prayers were answered, Misaki saw her cousin standing near the school gates.

She ran over towards him, completely forgetting about the boy behind her, and jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck. "Ryuku!" she stared at him with a smile that lit up her face. "What are you doing here?"

Gently, he placed her back down on the grass. "Since you were so late yesterday, your parents asked me to bring you home whenever I have the chance. Lucky for you I don't have work today."

Misaki squealed with happiness, and rewarded Ryuku with a tight hug. Takumi approached the hugging cousins, silently scrutinizing the red head that had his arms wrapped around Misaki. Ryuku noticed Takumi right away, the glowering glare he had pinned on him was hard to ignore.

He turned Misaki around to face Takumi. "Do you know him?"

She glanced over at the unwanted boy, her happiness slowly beginning to fizzle away from how threatening his presence was. "That's Takumi Hibiki," she told Ryuku softly. "He was going to walk me home today."

"…Hibiki?" Ryuku echoed. "I didn't know that Ryou had a brother," he placed a hand on Misaki's shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze as an attempt to calm her down. She looked so uptight. "Do you know where he is by any chance? He's been missing school since last—"

"Why the hell should I care where that idiot is?" Takumi sneered in disgust. "If anything, he's probably finally gotten himself cooked for someone's dinner. That's the only thing he's good for," His eyes narrowed on Ryuku's hand on Misaki's shoulder. "I don't think Misaki needs you around. People say three's a crowd for a reason. Besides, shouldn't you be off sending someone to the hospital? Or, I don't know, go rape some little girls?" he deliberately glanced over to Misaki, making sure Ryuku saw him do so. "Or are you planning on doing _that_ to Misaki?"

Ryuku was fuming. How dare that brat accuse him of doing anything like that to his own cousin! Maybe there was a reason why Ryou hadn't bothered to mention that he had a younger brother. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Misaki poked Ryuku's side. "Let's go," she said with her eyes on Takumi. "You don't mind if Ryuku comes along just this once, since he's already here do you?"

Takumi scowled, but didn't object to anything. "It's fine," he grunted. "As long as he doesn't try to molest you or anything along the way, it should be fine."

**

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**

Takumi's ears picked up the sound of Misaki giggling for what must have been the umpteenth time since they left the middle school. She never laughed like that for him. He hung his head keeping his eyes on the sidewalk, refusing to look up to see her all over Ryuku. His eyes found an empty soda can and he gave it a hard kick when he heard another bubbly giggle come from Misaki.

His kick sent the can flying up into the sky, his eyes trailing after it until it was nothing but a sparkle from a distance. As he darted his gaze back down to the cement, he caught sight of Misaki grabbing Ryuku's sleeve and pointing at something off to the side that snagged her interest. Takumi gritted his teeth, fangs slightly digging into his gums from how tightly he clenched his jaw.

Misaki's hand released his sleeve and instead she turned her head to give Ryuku a wide grin. Takumi didn't understand where this overjoyed Misaki came from. She _never_ looked at him like that or gave him any smiles. His hands clenched into fists and now there was a faint taste of blood in his mouth. Misaki was literally bouncing along next to _that_ guy. She was so desperate to get his attention on her, to have her hands touching and holding onto him at every possible second.

Takumi would have been more than thrilled to fulfill anything she asked or wanted him to do. He'd do anything for her at the chance of seeing her smile like that for him. That idiot next to her couldn't appreciate her like _he_ could. Takumi watched closely as Misaki reached for Ryuku's hand and missed. He was both relieved and angered by this. If she wanted to hold hands with someone it should have been him. Misaki tried to grab her cousin's hand again only to miss. Ryuku noticing his cousin's attempts to take hold of his hand simply reached forward and held her hand.

Seeing Misaki's smile on her face made Takumi lose it. Suddenly, he found himself next to a startled Misaki who felt her cousin's hand abruptly leaving hers. Misaki noticed that Takumi was now where her cousin was standing. She saw that Ryuku was facedown on the ground a few feet away from them. Ryuku picked himself up from the ground, his back in slight pain from Takumi's kick.

Calmly, he brushed off the dirt that had gotten onto his uniform from the fall. He turned around and snapped at Takumi. "What the hell was that for?"

"I don't like you," was Takumi's simple answer. He walked over to Ryuku and glared up at him. "Anyone who mentions my brother tends to piss me off. So, I guess it shouldn't be very surprising that you rub me off the wrong way."

Ryuku nodded his head in understanding. "Okay," he huffed. "I won't mention him again around you." he stared at Takumi. "Are we okay now? Can we continue walking home?"

"No. There's more to it than just that."

"What it is now?" Ryuku asked. "Are there other siblings I don't know about that piss you off that I talked about?"

Takumi laughed in mockery. "Sure, why not?"

Ryuku gasped and stumbled back a few steps when he was given a punch to the gut. He hunched forward with his hands gingerly pressed onto the spot he was struck, trying to ride out the pain. It had been such a long time since his body was hit with a punch as hard as that.

His eyes were on Takumi, who had a sadistic smirk on his lips. "Imagine what would happen if I beat _you_ in a fight," Takumi mused. "The big bad _Bloody Knife Saotome_ found beaten to a bloody pulp by an ordinary middle school student. Think of what that would do to my reputation. Maybe my family would finally be thought of as anything but _losers_!"

"_Wait_—!"

Takumi charged forward before Ryuku could finish his sentence. He didn't aim to do anything fancy, only going for a simple punch that Ryuku managed to successfully dodge that time. Ryuku abruptly jumped back from Takumi before he could try another attack and put up a guard stance. There was no point in continuing the fight and Ryuku preferred to rather talk out the problem than solve it with fists.

"This is a waste of time. I don't want to fight you."

Takumi raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you scared that I won't give you much of a match just because I'm a kid?" he asked curiously. "I've been fighting ever since I could walk. I'm sure I can handle whatever is it that you can dish out. It should be obvious that I'm holding out on you, which I'm sure you're doing the same to me."

"That's not what I meant. There isn't a reason on why we even _have_ to fight. We just met." Ryuku explained.

"No reason?" he responded snidely. "Did you block out what I've said before? I'm pretty sure I've said my reason on why I _want_ to fight you."

Ryuku objected and exclaimed. "You _made_ me give you a reason!" he paused and pointed an accusing finger at Takumi. "So give me the real reason you're acting this way."

Takumi threw a hook punch at Ryuku's ribcage, which he easily blocked but was hit with an uppercut to the gut with Takumi's other hand. "Wow. You really weren't holding back were you?" he laughed pushing Ryuku onto his butt.

"Ryuku, are you okay?" Misaki ran over to Ryuku's aid. She helped her cousin up onto his feet, and pleadingly looked over at Takumi. "Let's not fight. Let's just go home!"

"No, he started this and we're going to finish it." He shoved Misaki out of the way, and blasted a punch at Ryuku's face. Ryuku swiftly dodged the incoming punch and instinctively jumped toward his cousin helping her up.

"What's wrong with you? You'd actually attack a defenseless girl?"

Takumi ignored his outburst, and further tried to provoke the fight to continue by throwing more insults. "Shouldn't I be asking you why you're hiding behind a girl instead of being a man?" he asked this while walking forward towards Ryuku. "Or are you going to let a girl fight for you?"

"This isn't a fight, dumbass!" Ryuku spat back. "The only one that wants to fight here is you."

Ryuku was suddenly taken by surprise by Takumi's low leg sweep, making sure it connected with Ryuku's ankles and knocked him off balance. Once Ryuku fell to the ground, the back of his head met the bluntness of the sidewalk harder then he would have liked. He hissed out in pain, blindly reaching a hand up in the air as a reaction to the pain, completely oblivious to Takumi preparing for his next hit. Ryuku skid back against the pavement from the swift kick to the side.

He scrambled back onto his feet, a hand holding onto the back of his head that was starting to throbbing from the pain with his other hand guarding his front. Takumi loudly clucked his tongue, unimpressed with how unexciting the fight was turning out to be. Ryuku glanced over at Misaki, who had retreated over to a streetlight she was hiding behind.

Takumi followed after his glace, scowling when he saw that it was Misaki that he was gawking at. "Eyes on me, we don't need you getting distracted!" He extended his index finger out and thrust it forward into the asphalt below.

Pieces of seemingly endless amounts of asphalt went flying in every direction. Ryuku shielded his face from the chunks with his arm, and prayed that nothing had hit Misaki. With a slight cough, Ryuku lowered his arm from his face to see that a mist of dust had formed around him. It was difficult to see anything through it, as if being in a heavy haze of fog. Ryuku tried sensing his surroundings knowing that if he didn't guard properly he could easily be overtaken by the middle schooler.

"Did you like that?" Ryuku searched in the direction where he had heard Takumi's voice. "It's called _The Breaking Point_. My father taught me it, but not only that I've also extended the skill further than anything my father has." Suddenly, Takumi was in front of him giving him a nasty smile. "Why don't you show me what _your_ father can do? If he was capable of beating up my father so many times, then I'm sure you can easily overtake me with anything your father has taught you."

Flustered, Ryuku swung a punch without thinking. When anyone mentioned his father he was quick to react instinctively. It was a problem he just couldn't get over. He was surprised that the punch actually connected with Takumi's face.

Takumi smirked. "What happened to all that self-righteous crap you were giving me about not wanting to have a fight?" with that Takumi disappeared into the dust. Panicked, Ryuku became more self-aware.

Eventually, the dust cleared up and the first thing Ryuku did was check to see if Misaki was unharmed. He lurched forward when he was struck from behind and once again fell to the ground.

Takumi pressed his shoe onto his back, digging the back of his heel into his lower back. He leaned down to grab at the back of Ryuku's red hair. "You're horrible," he spat angrily. "Why are people so afraid of you?" he pulled Ryuku's head back. It was music to his ears when he heard his opponent cry out in pain. "Are you holding back on me? Or are you really this pathetic?" When he was given no answer, Takumi released his hair in disgust. "I should have listened to you before. This _was_ a waste of time." He lifted his foot off his back, turning his head to gaze at Misaki, who met his stare in fear. "Misaki should be around someone worth her time. I don't see what she sees in someone worthless like you. You don't deserve to be feared. All you deserve is _pity_."

Ryuku heard the footsteps of Takumi walking off leaving his cousin and him alone. Misaki rushed over to Ryuku's side when Takumi had left. "A-Are you all right?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

Slowly, Ryuku sat up so that he could assure Misaki that he was just fine with a smile. "Misaki," he started, while Misaki helped him up to his feet. "Has that guy been giving you trouble?"

"This isn't about me," she insisted. "You were the one that was fighting. I'm the least important person right now."

Ryuku strongly disagreed with her. "Answer me, Misaki," he said. "Has he bullying you for a long time?" reluctantly she nodded her head. "Why didn't you say something earlier? How long has this been going on?"

"…I don't know."

"You should have said something to your parents," he sighed. "Or at least reported him to someone at your school. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Misaki wrapped her arms around Ryuku's chest, missing him wince from the obvious pain she should have been aware of. "You're hurt. He hurt you because of me. I shouldn't have made you walk home with me. If had you just left, you wouldn't be hurt right now. This is all my fault."

"No. Don't say stuff like that," Ryuku shushed her. "Don't blame yourself."

"But it is my fault."

Ryuku pushed her away so that he could look into her eyes. "I'm going to keep walking you home," he told her. "I promised your parents, and I especially promised you. If you expect me to leave you alone with a brat like that then you're insane."

"…he'll hurt you again."

"Not if I start training again," Ryuku assured her with a smile. "I'll train again just so I can protect you from guys like that. No one bullies my cousin."

Misaki flushed and buried her face on his uniform to hide her embarrassment. She mumbled against the fabric, her voice slightly muffled. "You don't have to do that."

"No, I have to. I'd hate myself if I did nothing. Besides, I'm not a wimp," Ryuku said. "If I just let that guy beat me up, and think he can actually say all that shit to me and get away with it…" he scowled, remember all the insults Takumi had said to him. "…this isn't about me. I'm doing this all for _you_, Misaki." he grabbed onto her hand. "It's late. Why don't we get you home?"

They began to walk off, and it was almost like Takumi was never there and that Ryuku wasn't beaten up.

Misaki was hesitant on asking her question, but she gathered up what little courage she had and asked her cousin. "…when you drop me off, do you think you could stay for awhile?"

And like always he did, he agreed.


	5. Ch 4: Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: P2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

_This is a Generation Fanfic, by the way. I know it's been a concept that's been done before, but I thought I'd take a shot at making my own. Hope it's different from any other ones you may have seen before. _

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**Chapter 4:** Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: Part 2

The amount of people in the Cat Café was ridiculous.

Ryuku still couldn't understand the reason why people were so fascinated by the cheapo noodles. It wasn't anything that someone couldn't make at home. The café had plenty of business before he began to work there but it picked up a bit when he started working there. After all he did make a pretty attractive woman and the tips he was earning were pretty decent. Due to the cute waitresses most of the customers in the café were made up of the boys from his high school, old perverts, and the occasional lesbian.

Ryuku dropped a full bowl in front of a customer who had ordered for it, all the while ignoring the creepy stares he had been giving her ever since she had taken his order. "Sorry, I'll bring you another bowl out on the house." She wiped the broth that had gotten onto her hands off on her apron. Then she picked up the spilled bowl and wiped down the table. Afterwards, she walked over to an adjacent table taking an order from a ready couple. She then headed for the kitchen.

Working at an impressive pace in the kitchen was a young girl, who was literally bouncing all over the place. She was the same age as Ryuku and had the same round face that Ryuku did in her current form. Her long gorgeous lavender hair, which reached down to the lower part of back was tied up in a high ponytail with two pink chopsticks stuck in for decoration. Like Ryuku, she wore the same waitress outfit except it was a different color, over the uniform she had a large frilly apron and a matching colored mini chef hat placed between her hair buns.

She noticed Ryuku right when she walked in and skipped over to her with two large bowls of ramen in each of her hands. "Ryuku," she chirped cheerfully. "I just finished these orders! How are you doing today?"

First, Ryuku handed her the piece of paper with new orders and tossed the empty bowl into the sink on the other side of the kitchen, before accepting the bowls. "I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now, Lotion." Her train of thought was on the conflict that had happened with Takumi the night before.

"…what's wrong?" Lotion rubbed Ryuku's back as a sign of affection, unknowingly rubbing an injury from the fight. A yelp from Ryuku startled Lotion and she could only watch in surprise as Ryuku dropped the bowls but caught them at the last second. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Ryuku straightened her posture, acting as if she hadn't done anything wrong. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Go back to cooking."

"I don't believe you but mother wouldn't like to see us slacking off." Lotion walked over to the large boiling pot of ramen set over the stove and stirred it. "You know you can talk to me about anything. I'm always here for you."

"Whatever." Ryuku ignored Lotion's attempt at comfort and left the kitchen briskly.

Upon entering the main room, she delivered the food to its proper owner. On the way back to the kitchen the previous customer who Ryuku had dropped the order grabbed hold of her apron and asked for the bowl she had promised him. She sighed and muttered a brief apology before heading back to the kitchen.

**

* * *

**

He stood in the middle of the training room back at the dojo, struggling to remember the last time he had ever set foot in the place. The room was full of cobwebs at each corner of the ceiling, the training mats were tattered and many of them had unkempt straws poked out at the surface. His father had meant to replace them with a new set of training mats but they never had the money to do so, due to the unsuccessful dojo business. However, Ranma had bought several punching bags and mirrors that lined the walls of the room, with the money Nabiki would occasionally give them over holidays, to help with both posture and technique. Ryuku noticed that the dust had accumulated into a thick layer on the hardwood flooring, at the same time he become aware that some of the light bulbs in the room had broke.

Ryuku went to go grab some cleaning supplies and a few new bulbs from the training closet. He started to remember the many reasons that he avoided the room as much as possible. It only brought back bad memories. Ryuku found his old training uniform shoved in the back of the closet where it had collected dust and moths had feasted on it. Even if it wasn't in such a horrible condition, he still wouldn't bother wearing it, since it didn't fit him anymore, after all the training uniform was meant for little kids to wear. He picked up a broom and began sweeping the dust through a door that lead to the backyard. After finishing that he cleared the room of the cobwebs and then moved the training mats to a pile in a corner, keeping the few good ones in the center of the room. He replaced the light bulbs, tossing the old ones against the wall just to hear the loud popping sound that he enjoyed hearing sometimes. He would clean the mess up of course.

He inhaled through his nose, shutting his eyes as he reluctantly visited some bitter memories. His father would wake him up early so that they could start their daily training session. Back then his mother would be up as well, either watched from the sidelines as they sparred or cooked some sort of meal for them, that in the end no one would dare to touch. His memory was a bit fuzzy. He had locked these memories aside for so long in the back of his mind. It was as if he had kept them away in a small box and left it somewhere in the corner to collect dust. It was a miracle that he could recall this certain event so vividly.

_Akane dropped what she was holding when she walked into the room to see her son turned away from Ranma. His knees were brought up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs. She threw a glare at Ranma before rushing over to Ryuku's side and putting a hand on his shoulder. "What happened to him?" she demanded, keeping her gaze locked on her husband who looked both ashamed and disappointed. When she wasn't given an answer, she angrily snapped. "What'd you do, Ranma?"_

"_Akane," Ranma finally answered. "We were just sparring. I accidentally hit him in the stomach harder then I shoulda. But I thought he coulda handle a little pain! All martial artists have to deal with pain every once and awhile!" _

"_He's only five, Ranma!"_

"_Pop's done worse stuff to me when I was that age!"_

"_How many times do I have to tell you this?" Akane asked. She tried pulling Ryuku onto the top of her lap, so that she could help sooth the pain for him in any way a mother could. "He's not you, Ranma. He never will be you, no matter what you do to him." Ryuku resisted against her gesture. _

_Ranma watched Ryuku stand up to his feet. His legs struggled to maintain his balance and once he finally stabilized his posture, he scurried behind Akane using her as a place to hide. Akane wiped the tears off of his cheeks with her shirt sleeve and softly shushed the tiny whimpers leaving his mouth. Once he had quieted down, she smiled at him hoping for a smile in return. Ryuku just sniffled and hung his head down._

"_Did you forget that he has my curse, Akane? Every time I look at him all I see is myself staring right back at me!" Ranma spat out bitterly. He marched forward to his son and lifted him up by his pigtail. He flung him across the room ignoring Akane's protests and Ryuku's cries. "It ain't easy being a martial artist," he glanced at his wife. "You should know that! You're one too!"_

_Ryuku landed onto the hardwood floor, letting out a shriek of pain. Akane stood in front of Ranma anger flaring in her eyes and her jaw clenched. She raised her hand up and gave Ranma a sharp slap to his face. _

_Ranma put a hand at where he was slapped. "You sure love slapping me don't you?"_

"_I know that you're angry. After all that we've been through together I'm just as mad as you are," Akane told him. "But I don't want you to take it out on our son. He's the last person you should be taking your frustrations out on."_

"_I ain't doing that!" Ranma shouted in disagreement. "…I just need to find a cure, Akane. I thought I could live with it, but I just… can't. Not after finding out that he has it too," He whispered. "There has to be some way for me to get rid of this curse. Even if Jusenkyo is gone for good, I know that there's something out there waiting for me to find it! I can't give up on becoming a man again. I ain't only doing this for me now I'm doing this for you and Ryuku too."_

_Akane opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she saw Ryuku stumbling over towards an unaware Ranma. Ryuku reached up to yank at the hem of Ranma's training shirt. Ranma gave a short glance at Akane before he turned to face his son. He had almost forgotten that Ryuku was in the room with them the whole time. Ranma didn't know how to respond to Ryuku who had a blank expression on his slightly chubby little face. _

_A battle cry came from Ryuku's mouth which startled both of his parents. Suddenly, Ranma found himself laying beside Akane who was looking down at him in shock. They both exchanged a confused look before shifting their gaze over to their son, who looked proud after knocking his father down with the kick that Ranma had taught him earlier. _

_A grin played over Ranma's lips, his sour mood prior had vanished. "That's my boy!" he boasted smugly through his laughter. He crawled over to drag him over into a hug. "Tricking me with all that blubbering of yours, I shoulda known better then to think that a punch like that would take you down!" _

_Akane knelt down next to the two and ruffled Ryuku's hair, her mood somewhat alleviated. "You sure had us going there!" she pinched his cheek, giving Ranma a brilliant smile. "Now why don't we celebrate with some lunch that I…" her voice trailed off to look over to where she had dropped a plate of food that she spent most of the afternoon preparing._

"_Oh no," Ranma cried out in feigned disappointment. "Now we'll have to find something else to eat! That's horrible! If I remember correctly, I remember Grandma Nodoka leaving us something in the freezer yesterday! Maybe Ryuku and I should heat it up for you Akane, since you worked so hard making us lunch."_

_Akane glared at him. "How convenient that turned out to be." The three of them laughed._

Ryuku gazed at the spot where his mother would usually sit to watch them spar. He could still hear his mother's cheerful laughter haunting him. At the moment, his mother was out working at one of her many part time jobs which left him home alone for the night.

It was better this way.

Especially since last night after the fight with Takumi, Akane had questioned Ryuku about the bruises and the poor condition of his uniform. Even more of a reason was that he didn't want to explain why he had regained sudden interest in going back into the training room. But he could tell that she knew something was going on and that she didn't like whatever it was.

Ryuku could barely remember anything he was taught. The night was wasted by the futile attempts to remember the training routines his father would drill into him everyday. Ryuku gave up and decided to call over another master of martial arts to help out tomorrow night. He went to bed feeling like he accomplished only wasting his time.

**

* * *

**

The next day Ryuku waited patiently in the training room.

Like always, the person he was waiting for was late.

Ryuku checked his wristwatch for the time again. He had arranged for an expert of the "Anything Goes Martial Arts" to meet him after the previous night of failed training. The time that was set for the meeting was at eight and it was already past ten o'clock at night. As if on cue, there was the sound of the front door slamming opening and then moments later it was shut loudly. He knew it wasn't his mother because on the weekend she came home much later than on weekdays.

He heard his name being called out by a deep and somewhat manly voice. "…Ryuku?"

"I'm in here!" Ryuku called back. "Hurry up! You're late!" It wasn't long before the expert invited himself inside the room. "What's your excuse," He paused looking up at the martial arts 'expert'. "Grandpa?"

Genma scratched at his cheek that was covered in grey stubble. "I never thought I'd ever see you in this room again," he was quick to jump to conclusions. "Could it be that you've finally figured out that you couldn't live your life without coming back to the 'Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts'?" Ryuku took notice of his attire which had never changed at all throughout the time he's known him: a worn out off-white training gi and a white bandana that covered the top of his most likely bald head.

"That's _not_ the reason."

"…then what is it?" he asked with a heavy tone of disappointment and a hint of sadness. "What happened to make you change your mind from swearing off martial arts forever and ever, boy?"

Ryuku sighed at his grandpa's pathetic attempt into making him feel guilt. "Do you know Takumi Hibiki?"

"You mean, that troublesome Hibiki boy?" Genma sputtered in disgust. "What could he have possibly done now? He's been always causing trouble since the day he was born."

"I'm going to challenge him to a fight."

Genma laughed. "Why would you possibly need to do that for? You haven't trained in what?" he paused while counting off with his fingers. "Three? Four years?" he gestured his digits toward Ryuku. "Martial arts isn't like riding a bike, boy! Coming back into it is more like a runner whose forgotten how to walk!"

"Some expert you are!" Ryuku huffed. "I'm asking for your help not a life lesson."

"That's what I'm trying to do, boy!" Genma spat back in offense. "How much time are we talking here?"

Ryuku dragged his heel swinging his leg back and forth. "I haven't exactly told him that I want another fight."

"…_another_ fight?" Genma repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, we've fought…"

In a flash, his grandpa was in front of him and quickly demanded. "…and who won?"

He was hesitant on answering, the intense stare Genma was giving Ryuku making him feel pressured. "Takumi did." He looked up at his grandpa's face unsure of how he'd react.

"My poor grandson!" Genma cried in shame. His large hands grabbed the front of Ryuku's shirt and abruptly ripped it off to see the injuries. As he inspected him, he then squealed this time in pain. "LOSING TO A BRAT!" he gasped. "…and to _that_ brat in particular!"

Ryuku backed away from his grandpa when he began to count off his bruises. "Uh, I don't think this is necessary, grandpa." Genma promptly turned Ryuku around 180 degrees and began tallying the bruises on his back.

"But it is! How can the heir of the 'Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts' lose to _THAT_!" Tears continued to flow down Genma's wrinkled cheeks. "Does anyone else know about this? Please tell me that I'm the only one you've told this to! I couldn't take it if anyone else knew that the heir is a worthless weakling!"

"Okay! I got it! Stop crying all over me!"

Genma shook his head. "This is unacceptable!" he dashed forward throwing a punch that connected with Ryuku's face knocking him backwards. After feeling his punch connect with his grandson the volume of his weeping increased. "Even a slug could have dodged _that_ punch! What has happened to you, Ryuku?"

"You just gave me a simile describing how hard it is getting back into marital arts!"

"Enough of this useless bickering, if we keep talking all night you'll end up being a weakling forever and we can't have that!"

Ryuku's cheek burned from the punch. "…maybe I should have asked someone else." He muttered to himself regretfully.

After several hours of tireless training Ryuku, who was drenched in his own sweat and some blood, had decided to call it a night. Genma gave Ryuku a towel which was already soaked with his own tears. Ryuku sighed and asked for a dry towel. He looked up and noticed that his grandpa had hardly broken a sweat making Ryuku feel even weaker.

"I can't be this out of shape, can I?" he thought to himself losing some confidence in his fighting abilities. Genma dropped a slightly damp towel on his lap.

"How was I?" Ryuku sheepishly asked.

"…do you want an honest answer?" Genma managed to gasp out through his sob. Ryuku shook his head opting for a cushioning near-truth. "Well, I'll compare you to your father when he was two," he started awkwardly. "Unfortunately, this still makes you look bad."

Ryuku was too exhausted to even care about the comparison with his father. He felt like he was nearing his breaking point, which reminded him about what Takumi had mentioned during their fight. "…do you know anything about _The Breaking Point_?"

Genma stroked his chin in thought. His lips curled into a thoughtful scowl. "Of course I do! Your father had to go up against that technique and I misinformed him of what sort of damage it can do." He grinned. "Fortunately for you, my boy, I can tell you the correct information!" He lifted his index finger in front of his face and looked intensely into Ryuku's eyes. "_The Breaking Point_ only causes damage to inanimate objects. It doesn't cause any harm to any living things, at all!" he let out a boastful laugh putting his hand down to his side.

"Is that so?" That didn't explain why Takumi had sounded so smug when he had revealed the name of the technique before. "Anything else I should know?"

"…I don't think so." Genma thought for a second and then shrugged. "Why do you need to know this?"

"Takumi said something about the technique."

"Don't worry," his grandpa waved his hand dismissively. "It's a worthless technique! Completely pointless unless you're a rock and we know that you're anything but that!"

"On the mentioning of techniques," he continued. A grin appeared on his lips. "Maybe I could teach you something."

Ryuku winced, his entire body aching from every little move he made. "…right _now_?"

"Time is of the essence, boy!"

**

* * *

**

Ayano fidgeted with her skirt from where she sat across from Ryuku. It was lunch time and Ryuku was eating his daily bento box. Ayano's thoughts kept circulating around the rumors of Ryuku in particular: the raping of his babysitter. She watched as the redhead devoured the food quickly. She noticed that this type of behavior tended to mean that he wanted her to leave hastily. Gathering up some courage she gauged the food remaining as a timer counting down to how much time she had left to ask her questions.

"You never did clear up—" Ayano caught herself at the last second.

Ryuku paused in the middle of chewing. "Huh?" Pieces of food flew from his lips, his eyes primarily focused on the shape of the grilled salmon. "Is this another annoying question?"

"No," she quickly thought up of a random question pertaining to Ryuku. "It's about your sister."

He rolled his eyes. "She doesn't like people. So stop talking about her."

"You can't speak for her!" she blurted out, her hands shot up to cover her mouth.

"And _you_ can?" Ryuku snarled furiously. He saw the hurt look on her face and sighed. He was distracted by how sore his body was and of the technique he assumed that he'd be learning afterschool. "What about her?"

Ayano was surprised that Ryuku would allow her to follow through with a question. She lowered her hands from her mouth down to her lap and quickly thought of a question. "Maybe we," she paused to clarify what she meant. "I mean, your sister and I could hangout sometime this week, or maybe some other week?"

"I don't know," Ryuku answered after a short moment of silence. "Why do you want to hang out with her?"

"She doesn't look like she has many friends," Ayano replied. "I see that as something we have in common with each other."

Ryuku frowned. "That's not true. She has tons and tons of friends!" he lied. "The phone's always ringing off the hook everyday. Every night even! I can't get a goodnight's sleep thanks to her!" he forced himself to laugh.

"…oh." She joined Ryuku's laughter with a depressed laugh of her own. "I see. Guess that's a no then."

There was a pang of guilt followed by a moment of awkward silence. Ryuku eyed Ayano and felt slightly guiltier. With an exasperated sigh, he muttered forcefully. "I'll ask her, okay?"

Ayano looked up at Ryuku with a smile, which for some reason made Ryuku uncomfortable.

"…that's all you're getting." He looked at Ayano and then at the food. He had suddenly lost his appetite. Multiple things were floating rapidly through his mind. He just felt like he needed to leave and take a break. "I think the food could have been better." He sighed once more and dropped the bento box onto Ayano's lap. "See you." He walked off.

Ayano felt hurt by that statement. But at the same time felt excited about the possibility of making a real friend, with someone who was related to the person she wanted to know more about.

**

* * *

**

Ryuku just arrived at the middle school. Even though school had ended awhile ago he took his time getting there knowing what Takumi's habits were, from Misaki. It wasn't long before Takumi and Misaki started walking in his direction. Misaki made a move to run over towards her cousin; however Takumi yanked her behind him by grabbing one of her ponytails. Instinctively, Ryuku slapped Takumi's hand off of her hair. Takumi's eyes flashed with surprise but then he quickly regained his cool demeanor.

"Didn't you learn from the last time?" Takumi asked snidely.

Misaki sidestepped around Takumi, ignoring the nasty glare he was giving her and ran over to her cousin. "You shouldn't be here," she placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him back. "Please go."

Ryuku caught her wrists and kept his eyes on Takumi. "Calm down, I've got this under control," he told her. "Takumi, you wanted a fight last time. I'll give you a fight. I challenge you to a rematch!" he released one of Misaki's wrists and in an aggressive action pointed a finger at Takumi.

"Why would I waste the time to beat the shit out of you again?" Takumi asked with a scoff. "There's just no point."

Ryuku landed a kick, completely sidestepping his cousin, knocking Takumi back a little. "We can make it so that it benefits you and as you can see I can put up a fight this time."

Takumi brushed off the kick as if it were nothing. "You think a little kick is going to provoke me?" he snapped. "What would you think would benefit me?"

"…I'll leave Misaki completely under your care, if I lose." Ryuku saw the terrified look on Misaki's face. "But if I win," he paused. "You have to leave her alone. Does that sound good to you?"

The middle schooler laughed, tears formed in his eyes from how hard his laughter was. "You're joking right?" he chuckled. "You might as just get the hell away from her right now."

"Does that mean you accept?"

"Obviously," Takumi snorted. "Now why don't you go run along since this'll be the last time you two see each other."

"I'll meet you tomorrow afterschool at the park. This fight is between me and you. No outsiders."

**

* * *

**

"What took you so long, boy?" Genma demanded when Ryuku entered the training room. "I've been waiting here for hours! I had to eat some things from your fridge and it wasn't enjoyable!"

"Why the hell are you lecturing me?" Ryuku snapped back. "You were late in the first place _and_ _I'm_ _early!_"

Genma let out an offended sound. "Don't talk back to your elders! Have you no respect?"

"The rematch is tomorrow," he told his grandpa. "We only have so much time until then."

"You're actually going through with this?" Genma asked genuinely surprised. "The 'Saotome School of Anything Goes Marital Arts' will finally live on!"

Ryuku didn't make any comments to what his grandpa said to him. His mind was occupied with thoughts of the upcoming rematch and the slight chance that he could beat Takumi and the horrifying consequence if he failed. They were quick to start the next training session. Akane arrived back home with her feet aching and her arms sore. She removed her shoes off and tossed them next to the other pairs of shoes, too exhausted from the day of work to put them up neatly. Her eyes picked up the sounds coming from the training room.

"…Ranma?" she was quick to dismiss the thought. Ranma had been left her a long time ago. The chances of him ever returning back home were slim. Still her heart was still yearning for the slight chance that it could have been him. She made her way over to the training room, looking inside to see Ryuku being tackled to the ground by Genma. "What the hell are you doing?" she ran over to her son and patted Ryuku's body to check for any injuries. "You should know that Ryuku doesn't fight!"

Ryuku scowled, pushing Akane away from him. "What are _you_ doing?" he spat, clumsily getting back to his feet.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

This time Ryuku decided to ignore her, however Genma took it upon himself to answer her question. "Your boy has decided that he wants to begin training again. Aren't you proud of him?"

Akane stared at Ryuku in disbelief. "…what brought this up all of a sudden?"

"It's no big deal," Ryuku grunted. He turned his attention back to his grandpa.

Genma didn't catch his stare and once again answered Akane. "He fought that Hibiki boy. Takumi is it?"

"Is that the reason why you came home all messed up?" Akane asked. "Why would you fight Takumi? You won't stand a chance against him!"

"They're fighting again tomorrow!" Genma announced happily. "We'll show that brat a thing or two!" he laughed smugly not noticing Akane's hurt expression.

"Why would you do that?" Akane cried. "I don't want to see you get hurt like that again! You got lucky last time but who knows what could happen next! I think you should call their house right now and cancel the match!"

"No way!" Ryuku hissed. "I can't just quit! There's something that has to be done about this guy."

"There's got to be some other way that you can take care of the problem!" Akane desperately tried to reason. "I know that he's been giving Misaki trouble but that doesn't mean that you need to put your life on the line, I mean—"

"My _life_ on the line, what about Misaki's?" her son interrupted angrily. "She's family, too, you know!"

"Misaki's important too but fighting Takumi?" she questioned in a worrisome tone. "Takumi's like your father! He trains everyday and he takes martial arts seriously. You don't. You're a sweet boy who doesn't need to fight. Uncle Ryoga told me that Takumi doesn't know when to back off when he fights, he's just too much for you!" She attempted to explain but this time she was cut off by Genma.

"Ryuku has potential! The same potential that your husband Ranma had! I see it in the boy every time he throws a punch. Every kick he swings. He's even inherited your attitude and persistence!"

"He's _not Ranma_ or me!" Akane cried out. "And potential has nothing to do with this!"

"You're right, mom." Ryuku said with a declarative tone. "I'm not my father, but I can handle myself, especially against that… that _asshole_!"

Akane started to leave the room. Ryuku was quick to say something about her sudden departure. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to call the Hibiki's and settle this whole thing right now!"

Genma blocked Akane from the doorway. "I've got this handled, my dear! There's no need to be rash."

"_You're _the one being rash!" Akane shouted. She reached into her pants pocket and pulled out her cell phone calling Ryoga who, surprisingly, answered right after the first ring. "Hello? Ryoga?" she pushed her hand into Genma's face who was desperately trying to grab the phone. "I just called to—"

"Is this Akane?" Ryoga asked in a panic. "I was just about to call you!"

Akane was surprised. Genma saw her facial expression change and stopped his attempts to take the phone. "…you were? What's wrong?"

"It's Takumi. He left the house," there was a pause filled with worrisome gasps from Ryoga. "He had a fight with Ukyo and Ryou and ran off. He hasn't been home for hours."

"Maybe he got lost or something?"

On the other line, Ryoga became quiet. "…Akane, he just disowned himself."

"I'm so sorry," Akane gasped. "Why do you think he would do that?"

"I don't know," Ryoga sighed. "Just please let me know if you see him. I have to go; Ukyo isn't handling this too well. Bye, Akane."

"Bye, Ryoga. Hope everything turns out fine," Akane lowered the phone after hanging up.

Next to her, Genma placed a hand on Akane's shoulder. "What's wrong? What did Ryoga say?"

"…Takumi disowned himself." Akane answered, still in disbelief of the bad luck that the fight would still go on. "Ryuku can't get out of this."

Genma laughed in triumph. "The God's have finally acknowledged the superior skill of the 'Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts' and wants everyone to know that it can't be stopped!"

Akane shook her head at her father-in-law. "If anything happens to my son I'm going to make you wish that you've never been born." She stomped off, holding back tears as she walked past Genma. While walking through the hallway she finally allowed the tears to run down her cheeks.

Genma noticed that Ryuku hadn't stopped training and decided to awaken a hidden technique within his grandson. Something he had planted deep within the boy's body, something he had put into him in case a situation like this would happen. Genma's lips formed into an evil wily grin. "My boy," he started. "It's time."

Ryuku looked over his shoulder after throwing an impressive punch combo. "…what?"

Genma grabbed Ryuku's shoulders and stared deeply into Ryuku's eyes shaking him around roughly. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Genma screamed loudly at Ryuku's face.

As a quick reaction, Ryuku pushed Genma away as if he were a madman or some kind of delusional freak of nature. "What the hell is wrong with you, grandpa?"

Genma continued his mantra, chasing after Ryuku like a hawk going after its prey. Not knowing what else to do Ryuku punched Genma in the face, sending him onto his butt. Ryuku quickly helped him onto his feet which Genma thanked him for and then grabbed Ryuku's shoulders and started the routine once again.

**

* * *

**

Ryuku sauntered aimlessly around the school ground. His eyes were red, eyelids were heavy and there were bags underneath his eyes. Genma had spent most of the night screaming at him to wake up which ironically kept him up all night. Finally he decided to cut off the water heater and dumped a bucket of water onto his grandpa to successfully shut him up. Unfortunately, by the time Ryuku had thought of doing that, his alarm went off prompting him to go to school.

The entire school day seemed like a blur to him when lunch passed by it was wordless since Ayano had some errands to run with some teachers, which fortunately gave him some time to catch up on much needed sleep. Consequently, it felt like the sleep was pointless and ineffective as it didn't make much of a difference.

Right when the dismissing bell rang, Ryuku was one of the first to leave his classroom. He was eager to head over to the middle school and have the rematch with Takumi. It took him awhile to realize that Ayano was chasing after him. He rolled his eyes not in the mood to deal with her and her annoyingness. Reluctantly, he stopped and waited for her to catch up to him.

"Make it fast," Ryuku demanded. "I've got places to go to."

Ayano nodded. "Well, it's about your sister…"

Ryuku checked the time on his watch. "What about her now?"

"I was just wondering if…" Ayano droned off.

Could she talk anymore slower? Ryuku felt like the whole world was passing him by with each letter that left her tongue. His mind still tired, shut out every single word she had uttered out. Finally, just to get her to shut up, he agreed to whatever it was that she was taking so long to say to him. With that said he quickly departed from the school, leaving Ayano to herself smiling contently.

As Ryuku began walking to the park, he heard a wild scream from behind him that frightened him. It sounded like a battle cry was heading straight for him. He turned around to see a bush with black-and-white little panda-like paws running at him, holding a watermelon and a sign in it's paws, that read 'You're awake now!' and without warning Ryuku's face was smashed with the fruit. As he felt the cold texture of the melon rubbing against his face he felt unique warmth spreading throughout his whole body, and in an instant his mind and body was put into a state of tranquility and ease. He no longer felt tired and at the same felt refreshed and stronger. Abruptly at the same time, he realized that there was a watermelon on his face. With a muffled scream, he ripped the watermelon into pieces off of his face and noticed that people were gawking at him.

He looked around for any signs of the bush that had attacked him. "Great. What the hell was that all about?" he stared at all the people around him. "You guys want to keep playing practical jokes on me?" he shook a fist at the crowd of people who were quick to disperse from the presence of the Bloody Knife Saotome.

**

* * *

**

The location of where their rematch would take place was peaceful. It was the same park that he used to frequently take Misaki to. There were children scattered all over the park. Some of the kids were frolicking around the jungle gym while others were being pushed on the swings by their mother or father. He even remembered when his mother used to take him there to watch his father train occasionally.

Ryuku was sitting at a bench, ignoring the points and the whispers he was getting from people that passed him by. He hoped that by the time Takumi arrived that the park would start to get less crowded. The fewer amount of people that saw the fight the better. He had asked his cousin to just head home afterschool. He didn't want her to be exposed to more violence.

Eventually the sun began to set and like Ryuku had hoped more and more people had left the park. Finally, Takumi arrived with Misaki lagging behind him. Ryuku scowled and went up to head over to his cousin. Takumi stood between them, giving Ryuku a scowl of his own.

"She wanted to come," he informed him. Ryuku ignored him and easily reached around him to take Misaki off to the side. "It's fine with me. She needs to see how much of a weakling you are."

Misaki forced a smile on her lips. "I wanted to cheer you on. Is that not okay?"

"It's…_fine_." Ryuku told her, although with a brash disapproving tone.

Takumi noted that Ryuku had taken the time to change into street clothes. Instead of being adorned in the rather bland black Furinkan uniform, Ryuku had changed into a simple red shirt and tattered black faded jeans. Ryuku's sneakers squeaked against the cement as he moved into a fighting stance. In response to that, Takumi gave Ryuku a smirk and tossed his schoolbag over to the bench that Misaki now occupied. The schoolbag landed on top of Misaki's lap.

"You look confident," Takumi told the other teen. "Do you have an idea in your head that makes you think that you can actually beat me?"

Ryuku smiled. "How about we just fight and see what happens?"

Takumi scoffed but said nothing else to further their conversation. He wasn't exactly in the mood to talk. All he was looking forward to was how the fight would turn out to be. Suddenly, Ryuku was in front of him and taking a swing at his face. Takumi was too startled by the sudden attack that he barely dodged the incoming punch. Ryuku was quick to make his next move, choosing this time to aim at Takumi's side with a hook. Unlike last time the hit actually planted to where Ryuku intended it to land.

A grunt came from Takumi's mouth. Without giving it much thought, he leaned forward so that his face was at least an inch away from Ryuku's and then promptly bashed their foreheads together. Ryuku winced from the impact and stumbled back a few steps, pressing his palm against his forehead. Even though Ryuku was in pain, he couldn't help but be proud of the feint punch combo he made.

Takumi scowled from the smug look on his opponent's face. "So, you managed to hit me. You got a lucky shot. _Congratulations_."

Ryuku laughed. "You sound kind of worried over there. Did I hit you too hard? Can't handle it? You've trained longer than I have, you should be able to take it."

Takumi gritted his teeth and forced a smile. In a flash, he was in front of Ryuku and delivered a punch to his face. The amount of force from the impact sent Ryuku flying to the side. Takumi grabbed hold of his arm and yanked him back towards him in order to deliver another blow. Ryuku recovered from the hit to his face and realized in time that Takumi was about to target his face again. He ducked down avoiding the blow and knocked Takumi down by tackling his legs.

"Playing dirty?" Takumi hissed out. He shoved Ryuku off of him and they both were quick to get back on their feet. "I pictured you as more of a person who fought fair. Looks like I thought wrong."

"That's fine," Ryuku assured him. "I don't care about what goes on in that head of yours."

Takumi raised an eyebrow at that. "The reason for that being because you have to focus on what goes on in your head otherwise you'll forget how much of a moron you are?" he laughed and initiated the next hit. "How about we make this a little more interesting?"

Ryuku dodged a punch at his side. "What did you have in mind?"

"Whoever makes their opponent bleed the most wins," Takumi suggested. "And I'm not talking about a little spot; I'm talking about_ really_ bleeding. You should be used to seeing blood, what with you being _Bloody Knife Saotome_ and all."

In response to Takumi's suggestion the redhead swung a punch at him. With a laugh, Takumi stepped to the side and shot a hand out. Ryuku bent down only to have Takumi grab hold of the back of his head with an iron grip. A surprised yelp came from Ryuku's mouth and he felt himself being pulled back by his hair. Takumi lowered himself downwards to stare at Ryuku in amusement.

"Looks like that blood will be coming faster than I thought," he chuckled darkly. "This rematch was just as pointless as I thought it would be. Way to show how right I turned out to be." He lifted his knee up and bashed it in Ryuku's face. He released Ryuku after that letting out a content snicker.

Ryuku dizzily kept his balance. There was a metallic taste gathering at the back of his mouth. He spat on the ground blankly staring at the crimson that now stained the concrete. For a brief second he was brought back in time and all he remembered seeing is even more blood. There were screams in the background. Then there was someone screaming his name and pleading for him to stop. And then his fists were shaking uncontrollably and all he could see was red. Red. Red. Red.

A harsh hit to the gut knocked him out of his daydream. Ryuku shook his head scolding himself for blanking at during a fight. Misaki clapped her hands together, diverting both of their attention on her. She gave a weak smile and read the cheer she wrote down for her cousin off of the folded piece of notepaper. Takumi glared at Ryuku, jealousy flaring up in his eyes. He extended his index finger and ran forward. Quickly recognizing the technique, Ryuku jumped back while trying to think how to counter the attack.

Takumi leapt forward and stabbed at the sidewalk. The force from the attack sent chunks of the sidewalk up into the air and Ryuku went flying with it not expecting the attack to be stronger than the last time it was used. He crashed through the fence and landed into the canal below with a loud splash. Takumi quickly went after him, jumping down to the canal to join the redhead so that the fight could continue as soon as possible.

To his confusion, he saw that the canal was empty save for a few pieces of floating litter at the surface of the murky water. A raven haired girl rose up from the water quickly spitting dirty water out of her mouth. Takumi took in her appearance. She was slightly shorter than him and had the slight same facial features as Misaki. It wasn't hard to figure out who this mysterious girl was. She was wearing Ryuku's clothes and had appeared where he had sent Ryuku flying.

"…this makes so much sense."

Ryuku glared at Takumi. "What does?"

"Your punches feel like a woman is hitting me. A very weak woman," Takumi informed him with a snort. "It doesn't even surprise me that you turn into a woman. Have you ever thought of staying like that to save yourself from the embarrassment of the amount of masculinity that you seriously lack?"

Ryuku tackled him into the water in a fit of fury. They rolled around in the water, both of them trying to gain the upper hand. Being quicker in her cursed form than in her regular form, Ryuku managed to pin Takumi down. His head was underneath the water and for some reason he hadn't bothered in raising it up. Ryuku reluctantly yanked him up so that his head would be out of the water. Only to have the middle schooler rudely spit water into her face and then he pulled himself up, grabbed her and threw her out of the canal. To slow herself down, Ryuku did a back flip in midair and gracefully landed onto her feet.

Meanwhile, Takumi jumped after Ryuku. He stood a few feet away from his opponent and stayed rooted to the spot which confused his opponent. Takumi raised a hand up to his face, he eyed his hand thoughtfully. Once again, this action confused Ryuku even more.

"Is now really the best time to be admiring your hand?"

Takumi lifted his gaze up to Ryuku. "I was thinking," he started, a dark smile crossing his features. "Should I show you what _The Breaking Point_ can really do?"

Ryuku snorted, immediately remembering what her grandpa had told her about the technique. "That worthless attack?" she asked with a guffaw. "My grandpa told me what that attack is capable of doing. I'd actually feel threatened if I was a rock, but as you can see I'm obviously not."

"You know," Takumi's smile deepened, unfazed by Ryuku's gloating. "I've spent a long time developing this technique," Ryuku rolled her eyes. Was now really the time to be telling stories? "We used to have these puppies at my house. They were adorable. Or at least that's what my mother kept telling me. She really loved those puppies. In fact, my whole family did," a chuckle left his lips as he reminisced. "So you know what I did? One day during my training, I was breaking rock after rock. But that wasn't enough for me, I needed to be able to do far more," he paused. "When my parents came home I told them that those puppies ran away."

A disgusted gasp escaped Ryuku's mouth. "What kind of disgusting bastard are you?" she spat. "You're trying to scare me away with a stupid little story like that? You can brag as much as you want about that technique if it makes you feel better. All I know is that making up stories isn't going to do much."

"You're right," Takumi agreed. "Sorry, I wasted precious time with a false tale. Let's continue our fight, shall we?" he bent over towards the ground and stuck a finger into the cement.

Slowly, a crack began to form. It inched toward Ryuku going at an even pace. Takumi thrust another finger from the same hand into the ground and the crack started to grow bigger and the pace increased. Without warning, there was an explosion. Ryuku was thrown up into the air with chunks of gravel surrounding her. She covered the lower part of her face with her arm to keep the dust out of her mouth and dodged rocks that were circling in on her. However, due to her attention being drawn to dodging she had forgotten that she was off the ground and harshly landed on top of a parked car.

Takumi strolled over to Ryuku who was struggling to pick herself up. "Are you alright over there ma'am?" he asked with feigned concern. "Did I hit you too hard? You should be able to handle it. You _are_ a Saotome after all."

Ryuku only grunted back in response. She picked herself up and hopped off the top of the vehicle, ignoring the rather sizable dent she had left on it. "I'm fine," she rolled up one of the short sleeves of her shirt and flexed. "And you said I hit like a girl? That attack of yours seemed more girly than me. At least I have the balls to actually use my own strength instead of relying on useless techniques."

"What balls?" Takumi echoed humorlessly. "If you haven't noticed, you lost those balls you suddenly seem so proud of."

"…another attack at my masculinity?" Ryuku asked her voice dripped with heavy sarcasm. "Oh no, whatever shall I do? A middle schooler doesn't see me as a man! I don't think I can live the rest of my life now! Maybe I should poke at the ground to make myself feel better!" she went down on one knee and poked at the sidewalk. After doing that she flashed Takumi a grin. "All better!"

"You're really funny." Takumi let out a solemn laugh.

Ryuku scarcely avoided Takumi's jump kick. He crashed into the car behind her, his leg sinking into the metal as if it was Jell-o. Takumi growled lowly, pretending not to hear Ryuku's laughter as he struggled to remove his leg from the car. He muttered curses under his breath, glaring over his shoulder at Ryuku who was filled with mirth.

"Having some trouble?" Ryuku asked. "Just use your _Breaking Point_! That should take care of all of your car troubles." A squeak escaped Ryuku's lips when she saw Takumi twist his body around and thus swinging the car in her direction. She leapt up into the air and then leapt off the top of the car.

She took her own turn at a flying kick as her counterattack, targeting the kick for Takumi's face. Takumi smirked standing still until her shoe was about an inch away from his face, his hands wrapped around her ankle. He spun around in circles, using a tight grip on Ryuku's ankle. Ryuku's limbs flung around and she spewed out jumbled nonsense that Takumi didn't bother to listen to.

"We seemed to have strayed from Misaki," Takumi noted loudly. "How about we go rejoin her? She's probably worried about us." He released Ryuku after his umpteenth spin and dashed over to the direction he had thrown her at.

Conveniently, Ryuku landed next to the bench Misaki was sitting on. Ryuku immediately jumped onto her feet, her eyes trained on Takumi who was racing straight towards them.

"Is the fight over?" Misaki asked hopefully. "Did you win, Ryuku?"

Ryuku shook her head. "It'll be over soon. I promise. Just wait a little longer, alright?"

Misaki nodded. "I really don't want you to lose."

"I won't," Ryuku assured her, breaking her gaze off of Takumi to give her cousin a confident smile. "There's no way I'd let myself lose."

"…saying your last goodbyes? That's a good idea," Takumi told the two, although he was primarily speaking to Ryuku. "Or are you giving her false hope that you can actually win this fight?"

Misaki lowered her gaze down to Takumi's schoolbag that was still on top of her lap. "I believe in you, Ryuku."

Takumi gritted his teeth together. "Don't waste your energy on believing something as pointless as that," he scolded Misaki angrily. "The chance that this idiot has of ever beating me is very slim. It's about time you've accepted this fact, especially since this'll be the last time you two ever see each other."

"D-Don't say that!" Misaki cried.

"I've been humoring him since the beginning of this fight," Takumi spat, he stood in front of Misaki and looked down at her. "Do you actually think that if I put everything in this that Ryuku would even stand a chance? I'd crush this poor fool."

Misaki stubbornly shook her head. "He'll win this." She repeated this to herself several times before she stood up to give Ryuku a hug. "You'll win this. I know you will. You're the strongest guy in all of Nerima."

"You're a fucking idiot!" Takumi roared. He shot his hand out and grasped the back of Misaki's neck. "Let. Go. Of. Him. Right fucking now or I'll make you regret your stupid decision of watching our fight."

Ryuku grabbed Takumi's wrist. She tightened her hold on him and watched in dismay to see that this did nothing to him. "Misaki isn't involved in this! Let go of her!"

"I'll let her go," Takumi slowly assured Ryuku. "If Misaki can admit how much of a fucking failure you are. I want to hear her say that she wants to see you lose." He leaned down to rest his chin Misaki's shoulder. "Come on and say it. I want to hear you. Be loud and proud."

Misaki stiffened at Takumi's touch. She bit at her lower lip, her eyes focused on Ryuku's face. "I want…" she sniffled, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. Takumi eagerly listened, only to have his dreams crushed at hearing Misaki say. "I want to see Ryuku win."

A bitter bark of laughter came from Takumi's lips. "Not even surprised," he hissed, throwing Misaki aside. She let out a yelp at being thrown on the sidewalk. "I'm not even fucking surprised." He followed after Misaki. "You want to see your precious Ryuku win?" he asked her coldly. "Well, keep your eyes peeled because I'll be sure to give you what you want."

At the sound of Misaki starting to cry, Ryuku made a move towards her cousin however she was stopped by Takumi who had appeared in front of her. There was a glint in Takumi's eyes. Ryuku sensed something deep within herself: fear. This fight was about to become completely one-sided. Even with that sense, Ryuku wasn't about to give up now. She could taste that the fight was about to end but she didn't know in whose favor.

Takumi took advantage of the distracted Ryuku. He delivered a painful kick to Ryuku's groin and with the same leg push-kicked into Ryuku's stomach forcing her backwards and knocking the air out of her lungs. At seeing her wheeze and clutch at her stomach, Takumi mused. "Why'd I kick you in the groin? I forgot you never had any balls."

To Ryuku's surprise, she managed to recover from the blow rather quickly. Pain still lingered however it was less than she expected. She remembered Misaki nearby and decided to distance the fight away from her cousin. She remembered Uncle Ryoga and her father talking about a fight where Ranma ran away to exhaust Ryoga. Seeing no other solution to the situation, she let out a reluctant sigh and spun around to face away from her opponent.

"Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts: Run Away!" she went into the position to launch into the technique but heard Takumi laugh behind her.

"Are you seriously going to leave me here with Misaki?" he laughed even harder. "I'm not an idiot like my father. I consider this a win if you leave."

Feeling anger flow throughout her body, Ryuku turned around and blindly charged forward at Takumi. Takumi's laughter stopped and at that moment he revealed his true intent and emotion. The two clashed and Ryuku screamed at the top of her lungs for Misaki to run away. Ryuku let out another bloodcurdling scream and collapsed onto her knees. Takumi quickly followed up and kneed the side of her face, forcing her onto the ground. Next Takumi kicked Ryuku as if she was a soccer ball knocking her across the park. Ryuku forced herself up and quickly realized that she had only been touched on the shoulder by Takumi's index finger before kneeing her face.

Her hand went to her ribcage on the left side and felt a numbing pain and slight gap where the bone was. While she was checking herself, Takumi was already on her preparing his next attack.

"What was that?" Ryuku thought to herself, jumping back away from Takumi.

Takumi grabbed her hand and Ryuku heard her bones popping followed by immense pain. As Ryuku was responding to the pain, Takumi yanked her arm out of its socket and pulled her close to elbow her in the forehead dizzying Ryuku's senses. Ryuku struggled to keep herself conscious in fear that while unconscious Takumi's actions could actually kill her. Struggling like a wild animal Ryuku frantically pulled her arm away from Takumi and ran in the opposite direction with tears in her eyes.

"I-I thought the Breaking Point only worked on rocks…" She hysterically thought to herself.

"Just like what the puppies did when I was practicing!" Takumi shouted after her. He was quick to catch up with her and kicked her over to stomp on her back. Ryuku screamed for help attempting to claw herself free. "You look kind of tense. Why don't you let me give you a massage?" he gently placed his fingertips onto her shoulders and then there was that sickening popping sound again. After that, he slowly moved to tap at her hips and then finally at her knees.

At this point, Ryuku was drooling in pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks and blood flowed from her mouth and nose. Her pupils were dilated and her conscious was fading in and out. She was barely aware of what was going on but she felt the final kick to her stomach and she found herself in a sandbox.

Meanwhile, Ryou was in the middle of finding his way back home after giving up his search for his younger brother, Takumi. He remembered a shortcut through the park and followed the instructions on his brightly lit GPS to the park. On his way, he heard an alarming scream which alerted him to run in that direction which any good martial artist would do (and human being). Ryou instantly noticed that the scream came from Misaki who was uncontrollably sobbing.

"What's wrong, Misaki?" he shouted while he jogged over to her. "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"

Misaki was sobbing so hard to manage to form any words. She pointed several of meters ahead of her to the two figures near the sandbox. Ryou alerted Misaki to call the clinic for an ambulance. He handed her his cell phone and sprinted over to the two figures. As he neared the figures he saw that one of them was Takumi. Upon a closer look he saw that his brother was beating Ryuku to a bloody pulp. Ryuku's blood painted the majority of the sand in the sandbox a crimson red color. Ryou knew that if he didn't stop Takumi from his attacks that Ryuku would die from blood loss.

His brother never understood what too far meant and Ryou did not want his brother to experience murder on his hand. Even though he knew that he killed those puppies all those years ago he didn't want to see his brother turn into a murderer. He rapidly grabbed Takumi from behind and performed a suplex smashing Takumi's head into the grass. Quickly, he scooped Ryuku up into his arms and attempted to help bring her closer to Misaki before Takumi had a chance to recover.

"What the hell was that?" Takumi screamed after getting up. "Who the fuck are you? Don't you know better than to interfere in a fight?" he bewilderedly ran towards his aggressor and landed a powerful sweep kick tripping Ryou to the ground. Ryuku fell a few feet away from Ryou. At this point, Takumi pulled up Ryou and turned his brother around to face him. In anger, he screamed out. "Of course, out of all the people that could interfere in a fight it had to be you, Ryou. How'd you find this place anyway? Shouldn't you be getting lost somewhere instead of bringing your idiocy here?"

Ryou shoved his brother's arms away from him and took a few cautionary steps backwards. "Mom wants you to come home. We all want you back."

"Why would I come back to that hellhole?" Takumi sneered. "I'm tired of all you failures holding me back! I could be so much more without a loser family to my name!" in anger he took a swing at Ryou who narrowly dodged the attack and a counter of his own by once again shoving Takumi back. "Why don't you fight like a man, you pussy?"

Takumi's insult finally got to Ryou and he threw a haphazard punch which Takumi anticipated and performed the multiple breaking points with all four fingers on one hand. As it connected with Ryou's fist, Ryou felt his whole entire arm burn with extraordinary pain and saw his arm grow as limp as a noodle, so much so that it actually swayed as it dropped to his side. Writhing in pain Ryou collapsed onto the ground and held his right arm. Takumi walked over to where Ryou had collapsed and repeatedly kicked his head, sides, and stomach. Finally he felt his legs getting smashed in by the breaking point technique, forcing him to cry out in agony.

"Did you actually think that would work?" Takumi asked with a laugh. "I've trained longer than you have in your entire life! All those times you could have been getting stronger you've wasted by studying and getting jobs! I'm sick of this pathetic excuse of a fight, I'm leaving." Takumi coolly walked off, Ryou staring furiously after him.

Misaki ran over to the both of them, crying frantically and impatiently waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Ryou had crawled over to where Ryuku laid checking for a pulse. It was faint but still there. Before he passed out he heard the sounds of sirens above Misaki's cries.


	6. Ch 5: Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: P3

**Edited:** _Chapter pretty much completely rewritten! Longer chapter length and fixed mistakes! ;)_

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma 1/2. The only things that belong to me are the story and my own characters.

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**Chapter 5:** Enter Takumi, the Hibiki Brat: Part 3

When Akane received the call that her son was in the hospital, it felt as if time had stopped. She found herself sitting in the waiting room of a hospital located in Nerima. Her mind drew a complete blank. She honestly couldn't remember how or when she arrived at the hospital. It was as if her brain had shut down during that time, because all she could remember was the call and the panic that settled inside her that wouldn't go away.

All of her friends and family were scattered around the waiting room, each one of them dealing with the situation in a different way. Her father and in-laws were huddled in a corner, mostly conversing amongst themselves. Soun was facing away from everyone, his shoulders heaving, making it clear that he was sobbing. Her mother-in-law, Nodoka moved her hand in small circles against his back her face an expressionless mask. She was talking to her husband, who wouldn't look anyone in the eye.

Her older sister, Kasumi, was whispering things in her daughter's ear. Misaki had stopped crying awhile ago, but her face was still soaked with tears. She looked exhausted and scared and she couldn't talk from how hard she had cried. The Hibiki's were grieving just as much as she was for their eldest son was injured as well. The couple was sitting next to each other in silence, Ryoga giving comfort by having an arm wrapped around Ukyo.

Akane closed her eyes and rocked herself back and forth in her seat. She was positive that her son would make it through this.

**

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"He's going be fine, Akane." Kasumi assured her sister, giving Akane's shoulder a firm comforting squeeze. "Dr. Wasabi knows what she's doing. She's Nerima's greatest surgeon! My husband talks about her all the time!"

Akane tried taking what her older sister said to heart. She had just left the emergency room and still hadn't gotten over what she had seen. The image of Ryuku lying on top of the operating table would forever be burnt in her mind. Another hand with a strong grip was placed on her other shoulder. Akane looked up from the hospital's depressing tile pattern to see an equally depressed Ryoga standing next to her with a handkerchief in hand. She thanked him under her breath and accepted the handkerchief.

It was when she began to wipe away her tears and loudly blow her nose that Ryoga chose to apologize. "I'm so sorry, Akane," he slipped into the empty seat next to her. "I wish there was something that I could've done to stop this whole mess."

Akane sniffled and kept the handkerchief hovered over her nose. "…as long as he makes it, I'll be fine."

Ryoga picked up his hand from her shoulder and clasped his hands together over his lap. "I can't find Takumi," He felt hurt that Akane ignored his apology. At a loss for words, Ryoga could only repeat his apology. "I'm sorry."

Suddenly, the waiting room doors flung open. Two burly men dressed in black business suits, wearing shades and communication systems held the door open for an average sized woman with a brown hair bob. The woman was wearing a grey striped three-piece business suit and expensive brand sunglasses. Her cold calculating brown eyes skimmed over the waiting room. When her eyes landed on Akane, she raised a hand up to remove her sunglasses and held them up for one of the burly men behind her to take it from her.

"Hello family and…" she paused on the word before completing her sentence with a small forced smile. Her gaze shifted over to Ryoga and her eyes narrowed while she made her feigned smile widen. "_Friends_."

A surprised gasp came from Akane. "Nabiki!" she exclaimed along with the rest of the people in the room.

A million questions raced through Akane's mind. She hadn't seen or heard from her sister in years. The last time she had seen Nabiki was when she was about to leave for college. She had wakened up everyone early in the morning (meanwhile, forcing Ranma and Genma to drag her boxes to the car shuttle that was waiting for her outside the dojo, while she said her final goodbyes to her family). Nabiki was wearing a business suit, much like the one she was wearing right now. It was just like Nabiki to always be all about strictly business.

She had written down everything that needed to be said on index cards. Most of what she read was drowned out by Soun's cries. But their father wasn't the only one that was being emotional. Kasumi was dabbling at the corner of her eyes with a tissue (a small pack of Kleenex in her hand) and Akane was wiping at her eyes every now and then with her pajamas (trying her best to not bawl like her father). Nabiki didn't shed a single tear that day but her family knew she'd miss them.

"I'll be sure to keep in contact," was what she had promised her family that day (a promise that she'd never follow through with).

In the end, Akane chose to ask her sister: "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Akane, what a silly thing to ask your sister…" she moved over to where Soun stood with open arms and gave him a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. She moved onto Kasumi and did the same. "Kasumi called me and told me what happened. I couldn't just sit back at home and do nothing about it!" she took Akane's hands in her own. "Ever since Ranma left, you've been having trouble keeping the dojo. Kasumi told me you won't accept help from anyone. But please just let me do something for you, just this one time."

"Nabiki, I don't think—"

"You can't afford this kind of operation," Nabiki persisted. "I want to help out my little sister in anyway I can."

Feeling defeated, Akane sighed. "…alright."

"I'm even going to buy some property here in Nerima so we can be closer together," Nabiki winked at Akane. "Think of it as a way for me to make up for lost time that I could have been visiting family."

"That'd be great, Nabiki." Akane smiled, already feeling comforted by her sister's efforts.

Nabiki's lips curled into a pleased smile. "Now that that's out of the way," she stood in front of Ryoga and impatiently gestured with her hand for him to get onto his feet. Once he did so, she leaned forward to mutter in his ear. "Why don't we step outside for a minute?"

Ryoga pulled his head back to look her in the eye.

"I don't want to cause a scene here, Hibiki," she informed him. Her tone of voice slipped into one of a business type. "Everyone here has enough problems to deal with already."

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Right when they had stepped outside, Nabiki slapped him across the face and got straight to the point. "What kind of father are you? Shouldn't you be teaching your son some discipline?"

"I've done all I could with Takumi!" Ryoga snapped, holding back his rage. "He's always been a difficult child! He never listens to a word either me or Ukyo say!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes at Ryoga's excuses. "Are you really trying to _excuse_ yourself from all this?" she questioned irritably. "The victims here aren't you. There are three victims here: the one struggling for his life, the one with the broken arm and legs, and the one with the horrible father."

Ryoga narrowed his eyes at the woman next to him. He was prepared to let out a retort, however, he found himself drawing a blank on what to say. The patronizing gaze she was targeting at him was driving him crazy. He turned his head away from her and forced the anger that was building inside of him to fizzle away. Reluctantly, he took in what Nabiki had yelled at him. She was right. The last person who should be coming up with excuses was him.

He shook his head, disappointed in himself for what must have been the umpteenth time today.

There was only one thing left to do: he had to take action.

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"… Ukyo?"

Ukyo lifted her head up from her hands when she felt her husband place a hand on her shoulder. Tears were already gathering in her eyes, she blinked once, the tears rolled down her cheeks. With a muffled sob, she stood up to wrap her arms around him tightly.

"Ryoga," she choked out softly. "I'm so scared for him. My poor baby is hurt all because of his shitty parents. I should have been stronger, honey. Takumi's like this all because of his useless mother."

Ryoga shushed her. He slightly pulled away from her embrace and moved his hand up from her shoulder to cup her cheek. "Please, don't talk like that. You know none of that is true." He used his thumb to wipe a tear off her cheek. He looked into Ukyo's eyes and managed to earn himself a tiny smile. "I'm going to go out for a bit. Are you going to be alright by yourself?"

Ukyo leaned against her husband's touch and placed her hand over Ryoga's. "Where are you going?" she asked in concern. "Don't you want to know what's going to happen with Ryou?"

"Of course, I do," Ryoga gently assured her. "It's just that Takumi's out there somewhere doing who knows what. I need to find him. There's still a way we can make this right." He leaned forward to press a kiss against her temple.

She only nodded in reply. Her eyes trailed after Ryoga as he left the waiting room. With her husband now gone, she was all alone and without support. Her legs gave out on her from the stress and she fell back down onto the vacant chair behind her. She hung her head down and struggled to keep any more tears from falling.

Nabiki strolled over to Ukyo her high heel clicking against the tiles as she made her way over. She plopped herself down next to her and contemplated something for several seconds before giving Ukyo an uncomfortable hug. "I'm sorry about, Ryou."

A sniffle came from Ukyo. She lifted her head up and gaped at Nabiki in shock. "You aren't mad at me?" she asked. "I'm a horrible mother. I forced Takumi to run away! What kind of mother does that to her own child?"

Nabiki cleared her throat and opened her mouth but closed it the next second. Suddenly, she felt as if she should be the last person to comfort her. Instead, she opted for a different thing to say. "…I'm going to get some coffee. Would you like a cup?"

"No thank you, Nabiki." Ukyo politely declined.

With a forced smile, Nabiki got up and gestured to her security guards to grab a cup of coffee for her. She had a feeling that was today was going to be a very long day. She wished that she had brought some electronics to get some work done. Work always did the trick for her when she wanted time to fly by.

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**

Akane had gone outside to grab some fresh air. The hospital wasn't anything like Dr. Tofu's clinic. The clinic was such a familiar place to her and brought her comfort, while the hospital was large and unfamiliar and only brought her feelings of dread. On the way outside of the hospital, Akane had gotten a water bottle from a vending machine.

She opened up the bottle and took a small sip. She hadn't eaten since she had gotten the call. The feeling of cool liquid running down her throat soothed her nerves somewhat. She walked out to the hospital's garden. The garden was so much more colorful and calming than the hospital.

She leaned back against a tree, listening to the sounds of birds chirping and bugs buzzing all around her. Here in the garden, it felt as if it was just any other day for her. Almost like Ryuku had never gotten hurt. Akane rested the back of her head onto the bark and gazed up at the sky above. There were no signs of clouds and the sun was shining brightly.

Why did a beautiful day like this have to be ruined?

Suddenly, Shampoo leaped down from the tree branch she was sitting on and landed next to Akane. She stared up at the cloudless sky and let out a peaceful squeal. "It so so pretty today," she commented cheerfully. "Don't you agree with Shampoo, Violent Girl?"

Akane twisted the cap on top of her water bottle harder than necessary. The peaceful scenery around her was already ruined by the Amazon's surprise visit. "What are you doing here, Shampoo?" she asked, not bothering to mask the annoyance from her voice. "You've never got over the fact that Ranma chose me and I know you hate my son. Why are you here?"

Shampoo made an offended sound. "How dare Violent Girl accuse Shampoo of those things! Shampoo no hate Ryuku. Only thing that is truth is that Shampoo _does_ hate Violent Girl," Shampoo playfully punched Akane's arm. She saw Akane wince and giggled, her mood getting better at having hurt Akane. "Shampoo only came over to say that Shampoo not surprised that both men in Akane's life are gone or about to go bye-bye." she laughed smugly and abruptly left Akane by herself once again.

With a furious growl, Akane squeezed her water bottle. The cap went flying off from the firm pressure and water spattered all over the front of her shirt.

**

* * *

**

One of the most important lessons Ryou had ever learned was from his father. And that lesson was to: always take note of your surroundings ("Remember every little detail that you can!" were his father's exact words.). The Hibiki family was known for their awful sense of direction, but fortunately the trait skipped over his little brother. Despite the fact that having a bad sense of direction was a drawback, modern technology proved to be a big help. According to his mother, before they were married his father would get lost quite often. Thanks to current technology advancement, his father's directions had gotten _somewhat_ better.

Ryou skimmed over the check-up room he was taken to. There wasn't much to look at, but he made sure to look over every little detail that he could find. The walls were painted a white color, there were no source of light (due to the lack of windows), and the only thing hung up on a wall was a small painting. It was a painting of a single red apple. The lighting was too bright, and the smell lingering in the room that he couldn't describe stung his nose. Besides the hospital bed that he was sitting on, there was a counter across the small room and a big cabinet that was shoved in the corner.

He dropped his gaze over to the floor and stared down at the tiles. There was the sound of the door opening and closing. Ryou averted his gaze up and saw Dr. Tofu at the counter setting down a clipboard and a folder. Dr. Tofu picked up the folder, taking out x-rays pictures and began to look them over intently. Ryou didn't feel any ease from the stillness that suddenly formed in the room.

"Relax," he told himself while taking slow breaths. "Everything is going to be fine, Ryou. There's no need to worry. You _know_ that Dr. Tofu is the best at what he does."

Finally after what seemed like an eternity had passed, Dr. Tofu placed the x-rays back into the folder and set it down. He adjusted his medical coat as he walked over to Ryou. "How do you feel right now?"

Ryou forced a smile on his lips. He felt uneasy. "Well, the pain has left. All I'm feeling right now is numbness." He paused, licking his lips nervously as he avoided Dr. Tofu's eyes. "Is that bad?"

"I'm going to do some quick tests," Dr. Tofu said. "Is that alright with you?"

"That's alright with me."

Dr. Tofu patted Ryou's shoulder. "First, we'll check out your legs," he pressed his hands lightly against Ryou's right leg. "Are you feeling any sort of pain or discomfort right now?" he asked, before moving his hand to the other leg.

"Yeah," he winced from the pain beginning to blossom from where Dr. Tofu was pressing. "That hurts."

In response, Dr. Tofu nodded his head. "I'll be right back." he walked to the counter and picked up the clipboard. After jotting down a few quick notes, he set the clipboard back down on the counter and walked back over to Ryou.

"How about we check your ribs now?" Dr. Tofu patted down his ribs. "There are a couple of fractured bones there and I need to make sure that everything's fine."

After his analysis, he smiled at Ryou and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Everything looks fine!"

A relieved smile formed across Ryou's lips. "That's great," he glanced down at his broken arm that was in a sling. "What about my arm?"

The smile on Dr. Tofu's lips vanished at his question causing Ryou's stomach to twist. That wasn't good. Dr. Tofu cleared his throat. He opened his mouth only to shut it a second later. He began to pace back and forth, struggling to think of a way to tell Ryou of his situation.

"Eh, well," he began awkwardly. "Well, uh, I guess I should tell you that you lost quite a big of bone mass and your nerves are all damaged. At this point I can't tell you what will happen, but I do know that there are two things that will happen." Once again, he cleared his throat. "You'll either lose your arm by amputation or you'll be completely fine."

Ryou was silent. He looked past Dr. Tofu and chose to focus on the painting of the apple on the wall. He had a feeling that the chance of the latter happening was very slim. But there was_ still_ a chance that everything could end up being alright. A sigh left his lips, he wasn't even aware that he was holding his breath. He was positive that it'd turn out alright. He had to have hope. A slow grateful smile formed on his lips.

"You'll be fine," He assured himself. "You know that Dr. Tofu is the best at what he does. You'll be _fine_."

He had known Dr. Tofu for a long time. Not only had he known Dr. Tofu, but ever since he was a child he had become close friends with Ryuku and Misaki. He remembered the play rights he and Ryuku often had. Dr. Tofu would come over and take care of whatever injuries they'd get while Misaki played nurse.

"Is Ryuku going to be alright?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't gotten much of a chance to see his condition," Dr. Tofu replied. "I'll let you know as soon as Dr. Wasabi tells me. Now, before I leave is there anything else you need to know?"

Ryou nodded his head and told him what was on his mind.

Dr. Tofu took in everything Ryou had just told him. "I see," he murmured. "Will you excuse me for a second? I need to go talk to your mother."

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Tofu."

**

* * *

**

With a steady hand, Dr. Wasabi accepted the scalpel from a nurse and began to cut into Ryuku's flesh. It had been a long time since she had to do surgery on someone as bad as this. Chills ran up her spine from the thought of who was capable of causing this much damage on a human being. She started to deepen the incision, while fixing the position of the bones. She glanced over to a nurse, who passed her a metal plate.

Dr. Wasabi placed it beside the bone of Ryuku's that was broken during the fight. She screwed the metal plate straight in. She did this several times at different locations of the frail body. Once she finished, she felt exhausted from all the work she had put into the one operation.

After several hours of surgery Dr. Wasabi finished off the metal plate installations and stitches. She heaved a heavy sigh and snapped off her bloodied latex gloves.

She faced the nurses and announced. "Let's everyone wash up."

**

* * *

**

"Ukyo," Dr. Tofu started. "I'm sure you know that your son's injuries are very severe. All of his bones and muscle tissue in his arm are so far damaged that there are only two choices that I see. That we amputate his arm or if you don't see that as a solution, we try this therapy that has a very rare chance of being successful."

Ukyo didn't like the sound of either option. She bit at her upper lip, wishing that Ryoga was beside her to lend her support. "…the therapy," she said. "How much does it cost?"

"Well, it's not cheap and it's not expensive either. I'm also assuming that Dr. Wasabi's friend will probably give you a discount. After all we all are friends here."

Relief washed over Ukyo's face. "Alright then, the therapy it is."

Dr. Tofu nodded. "I'll probably be doing the therapy on your son," he laughed. "I just wanted to make sure you chose a decision without being hasty. After all, we're friends and it'd be hard to turn down a friend's offer."

A laugh came from Ukyo, although it was more of relief than of humor. She hugged Dr. Tofu. "I can't thank you enough." She lifted her chin up from his shoulder to ask. "Would it be alright if I visit my son?"

"What a silly question! Of course, it would!" Dr. Tofu said. "He's in the room down the hall onto the right."

Ukyo broke in a slight sprint to tell her son the good news. Once she left the hallway, Dr. Tofu began heading for the waiting room to talk to Akane. Without warning, Dr. Wasabi suddenly appeared in front of him. Startled, he formed a fighting stance. He let out an unmanly yelp and punched nearly missing Dr. Wasabi's face.

A scream came from the other doctor. "What the hell are you doing?" she took a cautious step away from her childhood friend and placed a hand over her racing heart. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Dr. Tofu gasped at almost having decked his friend in the face. "Oh dear, I'm sorry about that Ringo! You scared me is all! Don't you know better than to sneak up on people? Haven't you learned by now?"

She laughed shyly, her cheeks tinted pink. "Old habits," She affectionately rubbed Dr. Tofu's shoulder. "Well, I've got some news for you about that Saotome boy."

"What is it?"

"We can't change him out of his girl form right now," she informed him. "His bones are too damaged and if he were to change now the braces and the metal plates would break his bones. He'll have to stay in his current form for several months."

Dr. Tofu rubbed his chin with his fingertips. "That doesn't sound so good," he sighed. "I guess, I'll tell his mother," he paused. A hopeful grin went over his lips. "That is, unless _you_ want to break the news to her. That's what friends are for right, Ringo?"

She playfully punched his bicep. "Fat chance!" she pinched his cheek, laughing at the frown that now crossed his features. "I'll leave that to _you_ big guy."

**

* * *

**

When Akane returned back to the waiting room, she was asked by Dr. Tofu to step to the side. "It's about Ryuku and the operation."

"What's going on?" Akane asked. "Is he going to make it?"

"We've got the best people in this entire hospital working on your son," Dr. Tofu assured her. "Your son is in good hands. Dr. Wasabi is the best. I promise you, Akane. Everything is going to be fine." He patted down his coat pockets and realized something. "I forgot my charts! I'll be right back. Don't worry Akane everything's fine! Trust me!"

Akane went back to the others and sat down on a chair. Even with Dr. Tofu's words of comfort she still felt doubtful.

"…Akane?" she looked up to see Genma standing in front of her. Akane couldn't see that Nodoka was standing behind him with her hands pressed against his back pushing him over to Akane. Genma poked his index fingers together. "I'm sorry for making the boy follow through with that fight. If I hadn't put the idea in Ryuku's head that he could win, well, this probably wouldn't have happened to the poor boy."

Akane stood up with her head hung down. Genma prepared himself for whatever Akane's reaction was going to be. He assumed it would involve her fists so he closed his eyes and counted in his head as a countdown. However, Genma was startled when Akane wrapped her arms around Genma and began to sob against his chest.

Nodoka had left her husband to stand next to Soun. Soun watched the scene before him with jealousy in his eyes that his daughter was seeking comfort that he could so easily provide for her and was using his childhood friend.

"I'm her father!" Soun told Nodoka in a huff. "The man Akane should be hugging is me! It only makes sense for it to be like that!"

Nodoka shushed him. "Now is not the time for that, Soun!"

"B-but I—"

"It's not the time!" Nodoka yelled sternly causing all attention to fall on her. She sheepishly smiled and announced. "I'm so sorry! That was rude of me to do. Please carry on with your sulking."

Soun laughed. "Now is not the time for jokes, Nodoka."

**

* * *

**

"Now, where am I?" Ryoga asked to no one in particular.

He couldn't recognize where he was at all. You'd think with how long he had to deal with such a lousy sense of direction; he'd finally be able to tell left from right. For a brief moment, Ranma's voice rang in his head with one of his many taunts ("You'd never be able to find your way out of a wet paper bag, _P-chan_!"). Even without his old rival present, Ranma still managed to find a way to insult him.

Ryoga vigorously shook his head. "It's not the time for that, Ryoga!" he reminded himself firmly. "Our main priority right now is Takumi. We can focus on your problems later."

With that mindset, he began to walk aimlessly around Nerima. Hopefully, he would somehow stumble across his son this way. Ryoga had left the hospital about two hours ago. The only thing he had with him to assist him was: a map he had taken from an information booth that he had past several times. There were so many thoughts flooding his mind making it difficult for him to concentrate.

He glanced back down at the map of Tokyo, hoping for some sort of answer to appear. Unfortunately, all the map achieved in doing was continue to make him even more lost. He lowered the map away from his face after walking for fifteen minutes. The first thing he did was check out his change in scenery.

"This place looks kind of familiar," he commented. "Or at least I _think_ it does."

After five minutes, Ryoga finally realized that he was getting absolutely nowhere with this method. He crumbled the map up into a ball and tossed it in a nearby trashcan.

How was he supposed to find his son like this?

A dejected sigh left his lips and he plopped down on a bench that was close by. "If I were Takumi, where would I go?"

From that question, an idea suddenly popped into Ryoga's head. He knew most of the places that his son frequently visited: Dr. Tofu's clinic, the places where he trained, even the middle school. With those places now in his mind, Ryoga went off to restart his search for Takumi (all the while, he silently prayed that he'd find his son at one of those locations).

**

* * *

**

Ryoga wasn't completely surprised that he hadn't fond any signs of his sons at any of the places he had gone to. Again, he began to walk around Nerima with no destination in his head. In the close distance, there was a zoo that was starting to come into view. For some strange reason, Ryoga found himself drawn to the zoo. (Perhaps the reason for that was because it was the first place where he and Ranma had their first real fight).

In an instant, memories of the fight flooded his mind. There were so many things that had happened during that match. It was hard to forget. On that day, he had managed to successfully find Furinkan after many days of traveling. Not only had he encountered Ranma (even found out about his curse) that day but he had also met Akane. The expression on Akane's face when he had sliced off her hair with his bandana still haunted him.

"Breathe, Ryoga, _breathe_!" he exhaled loudly, his eyes trained on Takumi, who was occupied with one of the animal exhibits.

It felt as though his eyes were deceiving him. His son, Takumi, was right there in close proximity. He _found_ him. Leaning over the fence lining the exhibit was Takumi, a half empty bag of popcorn in one of his hands, while his other hand tossed popcorn at the animals. He seemed to have dismissed the sign reading that the animals were not to be fed.

Ryoga didn't know how to handle the situation. He knew that it'd be stupid to run up to his son and beg for him to fix all the problems he had caused. Fathers don't do those kinds of things. It was time for him to finally act like a father. He decided to play it smart and not announce his presence immediately.

Instead, he snuck next to his son and made an offhand comment. "You aren't supposed to be feeding the animals."

Just to spite the stranger next to him, he grabbed a handful of popcorn and flung it at the animal, which resulted in knocking it over on its back. "Really?" he snorted rudely. "And where does it say that?"

Ryoga pointed at the sign. "The sign over there says it."

Takumi's eyes followed to where the stranger was pointing. When his eyes landed on the aforementioned sign, a nasty scowl went across his lips. He threw the bag at the fallen animal, who growled out in annoyance. "Like anyone actually _reads_ signs," He heaved himself off of the fence, and turned towards the stranger only to realize it was his father. His scowl deepened, as he slowly backed away from Ryoga. "…get away from me."

"Takumi," Ryoga frantically began. "I just want to talk."

"I_ know_ you do," his son hissed. "But I don't want to talk to you. I disowned myself for a reason, so I wouldn't have to see your loser face anymore." He threw a punch at Ryoga who effortlessly dodged it. "Talking is for losers who can't fight out their own problems!"

"Fighting isn't everything!" Ryoga tried to reason to his son. "I know you don't agree with me now, but I used to think like you—"

"Don't compare me to you!" Takumi screamed angrily at the top of his lungs, which caught the attention of a couple sitting on a bench nearby. He did a combo with two punches and a high kick but missed his father, who dodged it with ease. "I'm way better than you could ever hope to be!"

He began to list things off. "First of all, I don't have your shitty sense of direction that even mother leaves me home alone to find you. Or your equally shitty curse that you and Ryou share. Finally, I even took your own technique and made it even stronger!"

Ryoga let the insults slide off his back, ignoring the jabs that he felt at his heart. He knew that his son didn't _truly_ mean any of the words he was saying. It was the heat of the moment that was causing this. His son was striving off of the adrenaline rushing throughout his entire body. He knew that feeling. That feeling made you do a lot of stupid things.

But Takumi wasn't finished yet. "I even took your own technique and made it even stronger! You wish you could be me! I may come from a loser family, but at least I still have a chance to get away from you failures!" At seeing that his punches and kicks were doing nothing to his father, he jabbed his finger into the bricked sidewalk. "I'll show you what _The Breaking Point_ is really capable of doing!"

Ryoga jumped away from the pieces of brick flying through the air and avoided the red dust clouds. Takumi followed after his father, repeatedly striking the ground with the attack. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ryoga saw several getting injured by the bricks and also being blinded by the dust clouds.

"_Takumi!_" Ryoga cried out. "What are you—" he didn't understand. How could his son not seem to care about injuring innocent people?

It was then that he finally realized what he had to do to stop his son's madness. There was no other way to fix the problem. Reluctantly, Ryoga dashed up to Takumi, who was about to create another crater on the floor. He aimed a kick at Takumi's hand, knocking it away from the ground. Ryoga attempted to grab at Takumi's arm thinking that he could quickly end the fight.

Seeing this, Takumi grinned. "Finally, I have a reaction!" he dodged Ryoga's grab by jumping back a few feet. "Just think what I'll accomplish if I beat you! It'll be the greatest victory for me even better than defeating Ryuku Saotome."

"Takumi, I really don't want to fight you!" once again, Ryoga chose to try to talk it out with his son. "Can't we go back to the hospital? Your brother and your mother really need us right now! Not to mention Akane!"

"…Akane? Who the hell is that?" Takumi questioned with a scoff. "Why should I care about _her_? I'm not wasting my time over some woman I don't even know!"

A hurt look flashed in Ryoga's eyes.

"Besides," his son laughed. "We can't stop now! Not when our fight is just starting! Not when I have the opportunity to finally beat up my worthless father! I already finished off Ryou. All I need to do now is finish you off and then deal with mother."

"Leave your mother out of this!"

"Did I finally strike a nerve?" Takumi let out a snicker and landed a hit on his father. "At least put up some of a fight!"

"Takumi…"

"Do you want to know what I did to Ryou?" Takumi was quick to interject. "All it took was one hand. He's lucky. Who knows what could have happened if I used _two _hands." At seeing his father dodging all his blows, Takumi charged forward and aimed both his hands at each of his father's arms.

With hardly any effort on his part, Ryoga caught his son's wrists right before they collided where Takumi had targeted them. He pushed him down onto the ground and for a moment hesitated. Could he do this to his son?

"No," he whispered. "No more hesitance, Ryoga. You have to do what needs to be done. Otherwise…" he trailed off and gazed down at his son. "He'll never learn."

He struck both of Takumi's hands with his index fingers. Right when he removed his fingers, loud popping sounds came from Takumi's hands. Ryoga could only watch in silence, as Takumi picked his hands off the ground. Using a fixed stare, Takumi gaped at the way bones were poking at places they shouldn't be. A scream ripped from his mouth from the unexpected pain that suddenly embraced his body. The pain he was experiencing felt as if he was being repeatedly run over by a freight train.

"Takumi," Tears ran down Ryoga's cheeks. "I'm sorry this had to happen. But I saw no other way on how I could stop you."

Takumi didn't hear his father's apology. All his focus was on the pain. All his attention was on those bones that needed to be put back in their proper place.

Ryoga heaved Takumi up and carried him on his back, listening to his son loudly sob against the back of his neck.

"We're going to the hospital," Ryoga announced to Takumi, who was too busy wishing that the pain would leave, than on what his father was telling him.

**

* * *

**

At a much different time, Ryoga would celebrate that he had found the hospital with no trouble at all. But he needed to take care of his son first. He kicked open the door that led to the waiting room. Now the room was mostly empty—Ryoga assumed that everyone had already gone home, it was already nighttime after all—save for Kasumi and her daughter, Misaki, who he guessed were waiting for Akane to return. After making a mental note to greet them more properly later, he dashed over to the front desk and demanded that someone check his son's hands.

Coincidentally, Dr. Wasabi was in the room as well. She had finally managed to fetch herself some dinner after a hard day of work. She set her food down on the table in front of her and strolled over to Ryoga and the nurse. "Alright," she said. "I'll take a look at him."

Takumi ignored the doctor and his father chatting; he cocked his head to the side, looking past Ryoga's head, and caught sight of Misaki. His tears had already dried up on the way to the hospital. However, a bad feeling in his stomach began to eat away at him, which caused his eyes to prickle with fresh tears.

He buried his head against Ryoga's shoulder in shame and sobbed silently. "I'm sorry, Misaki…"

Ryoga's ears picked up Takumi's soft apology and cut off Dr. Wasabi. "I have to do something real quick. That is if you don't mind?"

"Sure," Dr. Wasabi looked at her own hands. "I'll just check out my own pretty hands for the time being."

Not understanding the joke, Ryoga laughed oddly and left to head for the Ono's. Misaki's eyes widened at seeing Takumi on Ryoga's back. It was obvious that the poor girl was still traumatized by his son's horrible actions.

"Misaki," Ryoga began. "I think someone would like to speak to you."

Reluctantly, Takumi lifted his head up from Ryoga's shoulder and looked at Misaki. From the heartbroken expression on Misaki's face for the first time in his life he felt guilt. "…I'm," he paused to sniffle. "I'm sorry. I guess. If you want to date that idiot Saotome then I should have just backed off."

Everyone gasped in both shock and confusion. Takumi frowned at their reaction. It felt as if he was being left out on something. He looked at Misaki's face for answers but saw her face flushed and as red as a ripe tomato.

Kasumi was the one to break the awkward silence. "Oh dear no, that wouldn't be very appropriate for_ cousins_ to do!"

Slowly, Misaki rose up from her seat and marched up to Ryoga. The difference in their height was evident. She raised a hand up and swung forward resulting in smacking Takumi's cheek. "You're a jerk!" she exclaimed.

Surprising everyone in the room by Misaki's uncharacteristic outburst, Kasumi let out another gasp. Just then Genma walked into the room and Ryoga freaked out due to the fact that Genma knew who Takumi was. Running over to Dr. Wasabi he immediately asked for a room for Takumi who was still in shock over Misaki's hit and the revelation.

**

* * *

**

Akane readjusted her outfit. She was nervous. It had been a long time, since she had visited another person's house. The reason for the lack of a social life, aside from her family, wasn't a serious reason. She just didn't have the time. All her focus was on too many things already. The constant worry that one day she'd lose the dojo, or that she'd get fired from one of her part time jobs, or that something would happen to her son.

She already had the latter happen. There was no way she was going to allow that to happen again. A few weeks had passed since Ryoga and Takumi's fight. Ukyo and Ryoga had invited her over to their house to discuss several things over dinner. She would have preferred to forget the whole thing happened, but knew that the situation needed to be comforted sooner or later. This visit was one that needed to happen.

Akane took calming breathes and knocked on the door. Numerous minutes past before the door finally opened, revealing an over eager yet apologetic Ryoga inside.

"Sorry about that, Akane," he forced an awkward laugh out. "I thought our closet was the front door and—"

"There's no need to explain yourself, Ryoga," Akane smiled at not quite lost boy in front of her. "I'm just glad you didn't take all day!"

After letting out another nervous laugh, Ryoga stepped aside. "Well, come on in then. Ukyo's just preparing everything for us."

**

* * *

**

The meal was satisfying but that was expected from Ukyo Hibiki. Akane was the first one to dinner eating. She wiped at her mouth with a napkin, while watching the couple eat quietly. No one had really spoken since she had entered the household. It made Akane wonder if this is how the Hibikis' acted everyday. She began to fold the napkin up, her eyes watching her hand movements.

"I appreciate you two inviting me over," she felt their gazes on her. "I've wanted to talk to Takumi ever since the incident."

Ukyo tapped her chin with her chopsticks. "You're welcome to talk to him, Akane."

Akane was relived. She thought she'd have to convince the two into having a small talk with their youngest son. "That's—"

"It's just that ever since Ryoga brought him back home he's been cooped up in his room," Ukyo sighed. "He won't talk to us about what happened at all."

Ryoga reached across the table to take his wife's hand. "Don't worry, Ukyo. It'll turn out alright." It sounded as if he didn't believe in his own words. He turned towards Akane, still holding onto Ukyo's hand. "I think his room is all the way down the hall."

Akane simply nodded and slipped away from the dining room, leaving the couple to themselves.

**

* * *

**

"…nine…ten…"

Akane already had her hand wrapped around the doorknob. She had knocked three minutes ago and hadn't received any response from Takumi. Quickly, she counted to ten another time before she opened the door. She took a tentative first step into the room and was immediately struck with a negative aura that she often felt with Ryoga in their younger years.

Inside, Takumi was sitting up on his bed with the lower half of his body covered by thin bed sheets. His hands that were wrapped up in bandages were down at his sides. The boy's eyes were trained onto the windowsill which was the only source of light in his room. At the sound of his door shutting, his lips pressed into a thin line.

As Akane made her way over to Takumi's bed, she took note of some of the things in the teenager's room. The walls were not only decorated with tacky peeling wallpaper but also with holes the sizes of fists. Dirty clothing and pieces of trash were scattered all over the cracked wooden floor.

Near Takumi's bed there were spots of faded red splashed onto the wall. Akane hoped the stains weren't what she thought they were. On Takumi's nightstand there was a large bowl of soup that looked untouched; it looked like the bowl had been left there for several hours.

"Hello, Takumi, how are you today?" Takumi spared her a quick glare, before staring back out the window. She took that little exchange as reply of somewhat. "Alright, I'll get straight to the point. I forgive you. My son's fine and that's all I care about. Let's just forget this ever happened and start over again."

"…Misaki hasn't forgiven me yet."

"Maybe you shouldn't have treated her or her cousin like shit."

Takumi rolled over to his side so that he faced away from Akane. She heard him start to give some shallow breathes. It was a sound that she was very familiar with. Takumi was crying.

Even though he didn't deserve her sympathy, Akane put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you try being Ryuku's friend?" she suggested. "It won't be easy. He has a very thick head and…" she paused to clear her throat. "You nearly killed him. Not to mention abused his cousin."

A hand covered over hers. She was surprised by the gesture. Takumi hissed as he removed her hand off of him. It was clear that he was still in pain.

"Get out," he spat. "You're not helping."

**

* * *

**

When she opened the door, Ukyo and Ryoga were standing out in the hallway. She gave them a small smile. Ukyo took the opportunity while her son's door was still open to look inside. She looked displeased that he hadn't touched his food.

Akane soft shut the door behind her. Not knowing what else to do, she said a lie to loosen the uneasiness on their faces. "He seems to be doing better."

"There's no need to lie to us, Akane." Ukyo commented with a sigh. She slipped her hand into her husband's and led Akane to the front door. "I'm glad you came over. We haven't really had a chance to talk much anymore, not since…"

Akane hid the hurt look on her face by pulling Ukyo into a hug. She broke away to do the same to Ryoga. "I hope everything turns out for the best. I don't want you guys to feel the same way I've been feeling since Ranma left."

With a sniffle, Ukyo gave Akane another tight hug. "You can come over anytime, sugar. Bring Ryuku too…" she stopped. "Or not. It depends on if Takumi's here or not."

A soft laugh came from Akane. "Thank you. That means a lot." She was glad she came to visit.

**

* * *

**

A knock came at the door when Akane was in the middle of cutting some vegetables up for a small snack. She cursed when the knife sliced into her fingertip. An annoyed grunt escaped her lips as she inspected her finger to look over the damage. Blood began to slowly ooze from the fresh cut. She plopped the finger into her mouth, suckling gently, as she left the kitchen to answer the door.

Ayano was standing before her when she opened the door. Surprised at her sudden visitor, Akane asked. "What brings you here?"

The girl fumbled with the strap of her schoolbag and avoided the greeting question. "Where has Ryuku been for the last few days? He's been missing school and I offered to bring his schoolwork." She opened up her schoolbag and brought out a small stalk of papers.

"That's very sweet of you," she took the paperwork from her hands. "To answer you question, Ryuku's been on vacation."

"…vacation?" Ayano repeated. "What about his sister?" she stood on her tiptoes to try to look over Akane's shoulders. "Is she here?"

Akane flipped through the papers. "…she's also on vacation."

"I see," Ayano murmured. "Well, I better get going. It was nice seeing you again."

She reached a hand forward to grab onto Ayano's shoulder when she turned to leave. Using little force, she spun her around. "Why don't you come shopping with me?" she asked. "I was about to make some _tea_, but I forgot that I needed some things at the shop."

Ayano looked unsure.

"It gets kind of lonely having the dojo all to myself."

A hesitant reply came from Ayano. "I don't want to be a bother or anything."

"Oh no, it's not a problem at all!" Akane insisted. "A friend of Ryoko or Ryuku is instantly a friend of mine!" she paused, a sad smile on her lips. "You know, neither of them really have friends."

"…_really_?" she asked. "Ryuku told me otherwise."

"Ryuku must like you enough to tell you anything! At all!" she glanced at her watch and noticed the time. "We better get going! The shop is about to close."

Ayano smiled.


	7. Filler 1: Bloody Knife Saotome

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

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I would like to thank everyone that has taken the time to review/alert/favorite/etc. this story. It really means a lot! I apologize for updating with a filler but I figured that a "break" would be nice after finishing a major story arc. In the future, expect a filler after each arc is over! ;)

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**Filler:** Bloody Knife Saotome

Rumors of Ryuku were always floating around school.

However, the only person who seemed to boast the most about knowing what the Bloody Knife Saotome was up to or doing was: Fumio Gosunkugi. No one knew or bothered to question Fumio where he got his information from, because when it was regarding the red head everyone always assumed that what they were told was the truth.

Fumio always had the darkest bags under his eyes. Due to that, people assumed that he had trouble sleeping. When in reality it was something he had gotten from his father. He outlined his eyes with a thick coat of eyeliner to make his bags seem less noticeable (but it only ended up making him look ridiculous). His skin was pale and made it seem like he never got any direct contact from the sun. The many piercings he had in his ears didn't make him appear "cool" if that was the appearance he wanted to achieve. His stature was awkward as was his whole character. His black beady eyes hid mischief and deception but no one bothered to take notice of it or see it.

Everyday, Fumio would be surrounded by crowds of eager teenagers, each one listening to the boy with open ears. Fumio knew how to get the student body to listen to him. All he had to do was stir up the latest on Ryuku Saotome; it didn't even matter if it was the truth. Most of the time nowadays, he didn't even have to eavesdrop on conversations when he was out and about. It was way too easy to come up with material by himself.

Being dishonest wasn't anything new to Fumio. He had always been a liar ever since he uttered his very first word. His lies were so authentic that no one knew when he was being honest or not. That's why it was easy to fool everybody into believing what he informed them.

Fumio glanced over to the girl sitting quietly at her desk. It appeared that everyone except for a girl like Ayano was hard to convince. Normally, he wouldn't care about a nobody like her. He had more than enough people eating out of the palms of his hand. However, it simply bugged him that someone could_ actually_ disagree with the many rumors circulating around the redhead.

He gestured to the small group around him to migrate closer towards Ayano.

Once they were all situated, Fumio cleared his throat. "Did you hear?" he asked. The others shook their heads, eager to listen to whatever Fumio was going to dish out. Fortunately for them, Fumio actually had a legit story on him (but he couldn't help but spice it up a bit). "Well, I heard that Saotome got into a really big fight."

A snort came from one of the girls. Fumio hid an annoyed twitch in his eye. "So?" she scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "When does he _not_ get into a fight? I'm surprised he even knows how to do anything else but fight."

Fumio held back a retort. How dare she interrupt him! She was supposed to be listening like everyone else, not yap her stupid mouth off. As if he actually cared about what she had to say.

He forced out a nasty snicker. "He brought a middle schooler into the fight."

The boy next to him was intrigued by this piece of info. "_Really_?" Fumio rolled his eyes. Why was he surprised by this? This was Bloody Knife Saotome for crying out loud! "Who was it?"

"I could careless." Fumio thought to himself. "I don't know," he said with a small shrug. "All that I _do_ know was that his last name was Hiboko or something like that."

Someone decided to comment at that. "…that sounds really close to Hibiki."

"Hibiki?" a girl echoed. "Do you mean, Ryou Hibiki?" she asked curiously. "I didn't even know that he had a brother!"

A boy elbowed the girl in her side. "That's because no one cares about Ryou, dumbass!"

The girl let out an offended sound and smacked the boy upside the head. "Don't call me a dumbass, jerk!" she crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "All I'm saying is that why would he bother bringing in a kid? Ryou's brother in fact? If he's as dumb and useless as Ryou then he would have just been a waste!"

"I bet it was just some kid," another boy reasoned. "There's no way that someone related to Ryou would have enough balls to go up against Saotome! Hell, I can't think of anyone that'd want to sacrifice their own lives to fight him! That'd just be suicide!"

Fumio glanced over to Ayano. She caught his gaze and quickly turned away from him. Good. She was listening. A satisfied smirk played across Fumio's lips and he continued. "Yeah, well, from what I've heard is that Saotome was using the kid for something."

"What's that supposed to mean?" a boy asked. "He wasn't using him for anything nasty was he?"

"Beats me," Fumio shrugged. "But what I do know is that Saotome was going up against this big ass gang," a chorus of gasps interrupted him. "He beat most of 'em by himself and dragged the middle schooler in towards the end. Apparently, Saotome got bored and just picked up some kid and let him finish off the fight."

The girl urged Fumio to continue. "Is that all that happened? What happened next?"

"Oh, there's more don't worry," he assured her with a grin. "Saotome was so impressed by the kid that he recruited him into his own gang. But you know how Saotome initiates guys into his gang right?"

Another girl swallowed uneasily. "They, uh, have to…" she paused to mess around with the end of her skirt. "Beat up a hooker." All the girls surrounding Fumio shivered.

Fumio nodded. "Yup," he agreed. "So, Saotome had a hooker on hand. And the kid just goes off at her, beating her up till she's a bloody mess on the ground."

"That's horrible!" a girl cried.

A feigned expression of sympathy went over Fumio's face. "That it is," he cooed mockingly and then added. "Guess Saotome got into some really bad trouble, because someone called up the ambulance."

A boy suggested. "Maybe he got arrested?"

"And you called me a dumbass?" a girl scoffed, ignoring the glare the boy shot off at her. "Everyone knows that he can't get arrested! The cops can try all they want to lock the freak up, but they won't ever get to! Because his sick dad has some sort of hold of them. If he hears that his son's in jail, he'll come down to Nerima and kill their families!"

"Ok, fine, so he wasn't arrested," the boy grunted. "Then where the hell has Saotome been the last few weeks?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "He's probably in hiding. He'll show up once everything dies down. We have to enjoy the freedom we have around here while we still can. The last time Saotome missed school like this was when we were all back in middle school."

Another girl asked. "What happened in middle school?"

"Oh, right," the girl said. "You went to a different school. Well, I don't know the whole story exactly but a few years ago, Saotome killed someone."

Everyone turned to Fumio for further elaboration. Fumio beamed, ready to unload all he had on the story. "People always seem to forget that Saotome is human just like you and me," he ignored several comments that were said in disagreement and went on. "Like everyone, Saotome has had crushes. Well, I don't know all of his love life but the story goes that he had this babysitter who he really wanted to have sex with. The real problem was beside the fact that she was way older than Saotome, was that she was already married."

A girl gasped in horror and disgust. "No way! You mean, not even our moms are safe from Bloody Knife Saotome?"

The boy right next to her rolled his eyes. "No one's safe from him!"

"Since her husband was a problem," Fumio continued. "Saotome decided to take care of him. There are a lot of stories on how Saotome killed the poor fool, but I think the most believable one was that he made it look like a suicide. I heard, he spent a month trying to perfect the husband's writing and once he got that down, he set the babysitter off to do some sort of errand, slipped into her house and then hung the guy over their bed with a suicide note on her pillow."

Fumio slipped away from the group when he finished his tale. He'd let them talk amongst themselves over what he had just told them. By the end of the day, almost everyone at school will know what happened to the red head. Nonchalantly, he walked over to Ayano and placed his hand on the edge of her desk.

"Did you enjoy that little story?" he asked her cheerfully. "I know you don't believe any of those silly little rumors about Saotome. I'm just a tad bit curious on what you thought of all those things you heard right now."

Ayano bit at her bottom lip. "…I think that you all need to worry about other things beside Ryuku," she paused and forced herself to glance up. Fumio raised an eyebrow at her. "You said it yourself; Ryuku _is_ just like you and me. If he is then why don't you treat him like a human being instead of as some kind of monster?"

Fumio would have been somewhat affected by her bold words, if she actually sounded confident with what was coming out of her mouth. It was a shame that it looked like she was going to cry at any second.

"That's a nice attempt to guilt trip me," he told her. "But if you actually want people to listen then you gotta deliver better. Look at me for instance. Normally, when you see a guy like me people automatically look the other way. I'm obviously nothing special. So, do you know how I get people to listen? I think of things that are worth listening to. These words that are coming out of your mouth right now, I don't care for them. And to be honest, no one else will give a damn about it either. Because it's been a long time since Bloody Knife Saotome has been around, and it'll be a long time before someone gets rid of him."

"…Bloody Knife Saotome is a stupid name."

Fumio's lips quirked into an amused smirk. "It is," he agreed. "But we've embraced stupidity and we've embraced Ryuku Saotome."

**

* * *

**

After a fulfilling day of shopping, Akane and Ayano began their walk back to the dojo with arms filled with groceries. While they were at the store, Akane attempted to try to develop a conversation with the girl. Ayano seemed like a lovely girl, and if she was friends with her son that made her a girl she automatically wanted to know more about.

Akane glanced over to see Ayano hiding half of her face behind a paper bag. For the past few minutes, Akane felt the girl next to her continually glancing over before shifting her gaze back forward.

Since it didn't seem like Ayano was going to do anything soon, Akane decided to be the one to take the first step. "Is there something you wanted to say to me, Ayano?"

"I, uh—no," she answered. "No, there isn't."

But Akane pressed on. "Go on," she insisted gently. "There must be something on your mind. You keep trying to get my attention. Don't think I haven't noticed."

"I'm alright, Mrs. Saotome."

A short laugh came from Akane. "It's alright, Ayano," she assured her. "There's no need to be scared of me. I don't bite or anything."

"It's…" Ayano let out a sigh. "About your son."

Immediately, Akane perked up. "Ryuku?" she turned her head towards Ayano, who looked like she was trying to stare holes into the concrete. "Did he do something wrong?"

"Well, not exactly," she brought the paper bags closer to hug body, trying to absorb the little heat the bags were providing her in the cold weather. "There are these rumors at school about him. They're not very…nice."

"Oh," was all Akane said deadpanned.

Ayano was unsure if that was a sign to continue or not. It already appeared that she had upset Ryuku's mother. "Some of them are farfetched. I don't know how anyone can believe them. But there are some that sound like they hold some truth to them, and I feel horrible for feeling like that. I just wish I knew more about him."

Another laugh erupted from Akane. Suddenly, she cut in front of Ayano, a warm smile playing across her lips. "I appreciate your concern for my son. We all worry about him, but he pushes us all away," _Especially_ me, she mentally added. "I could tell you what you want to hear, but I think it'd be better if you asked him yourself."

"…you're right."

"No one wants their mother to spill everything," Akane joked lamely. She faced away from Ayano and began to resume walking again. "He probably would tell you more than you think."

Ayano doubted that but didn't voice her opinion. There was no need to spoil Akane's abrupt change in mood. However, there were still a lot of things that she wanted to ask. "Could I ask you something else?"

"What is it?"

"I just," and like she did before, she let out a sigh. "Could you tell me something about Ryoko?"

Ayano missed the brief bewildered expression Akane wore on her face. "Oh, you mean, _her_." Akane laughed, as if she was knew a little joke. "Ryuku's _sister_."

"Yes, I asked Ryuku awhile ago if he could ask his sister if we could go shopping or something like that."

She took in Ayano's words with a slight nod. "I see," she said. "I'm sure, Ryoko would be pleased to hear that when she comes back."

The rest of the way was spent with Akane answering any question Ayano could come up with.


	8. Ch 6: Enter Lotion, the Bound Amazon

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma 1/2. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

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For those of you who don't know! I have pretty much completely written the fifth chapter! If you don't mind why don't you go check it out and reread it! ;)

I'd like to again give my thanks to those who have: reviewed/alerted/favorited/etc! Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 6:** Enter Lotion, the Bound Amazon

While Ryuku was in the hospital she had visited him one night. Her mother was the one who insisted she check on the condition of her future husband. She had slipped into his room through his window after visiting hours with a bouquet of roses cradled in her arms. _Red _roses. In the language of flowers the color red stood for passionate love. Lotion circled around the bed to set the bouquet on the vacant nightstand. She took a seat on the chair next to the bed.

Ryuku, in his cursed form, looked terrible. Lotion reached a hand out to place it over Ryuku's. Even if she didn't feel anything towards him, her heart still swelled in care for him.

"He look awful."

Lotion nodded and kept her gaze locked onto Ryuku. She didn't want to see the expression that was on her mother's face. Shampoo walked to the other side of the bed. Her hand hovered over Ryuku's face, her fingertips dancing across her skin. She gently racked her fingers through the black hair.

"Mother," Lotion spoke lowly in Chinese. "We don't belong here. I don't feel comfortable in this room. Can we please leave?"

In response, Shampoo simply began to hum a lovely tune. It was the same tune that she used to always hum to Lotion (back when she was a child and they were back in China, where everything was so much simpler). Her mother lightly touched Ryuku's eyelashes, then followed the bridge of her nose down so that she could trace over her cold lips.

"You have every right to be in this room," her mother finally answered in her native tongue. "_He_ is your groom. _You_ are his bride."

"We're bothering his recovery."

"Lotion," Shampoo hissed. "Why must you talk back to your mother? Did I raise you to be this disrespectful? I could have sworn I raised you better then that."

"I apologize for my disrespect," Lotion murmured. "I just want what is best for him—my husband."

Shampoo cupped Ryuku's chin. "This child is such a pity to see. His father left him with so much trouble. The only thing he gifted him with was his curse and what good is that? What a pity."

Lotion bit her tongue. "What about you? You've done the same to me! How can you be such a hypocrite?" was what she wanted to say more than anything. But she knew better than to speak her mind to her mother.

Instead to her mother she said. "Father must be wondering where we've run off to. Don't you think we should be heading back now?"

A short bitter laugh rang through the room. "He can wait! He understands that we have serious matters to attend to. He _knows_ not to interfere with these things."

"I know that but—"

"Tell him that you love him," Lotion gaped at her, speechless. "You heard me, Lotion. I will not repeat myself."

Lotion lowered herself down, until she was next to Ryuku's ear. She tucked Ryuku's hair behind her ear and said loud enough so that her mother could hear. "My husband, I know you are listening to these words I am about to say. I love you."

"Good," Shampoo said. "Now, to prove your love for him, you must leave him with a departing gift. A kiss."

"M-Mother!" Lotion sprang away from Ryuku. "He is _female_! That isn't—"

Shampoo's hand shot out across the mattress to grasp hold of her daughter's blouse. With a powerful grip, she pulled her forward. "He only has the body of a female. His mind is male and that is all that matters. You shouldn't get upset over such a trivial thing. Amazons are willing to kiss anyone—male or female—no matter what the costs."

"I'm sorry, mother."

"Stop delaying things with this useless chatter."

Her mother watched as she gifted Ryuku with a quick kiss. It was brief and on the lips. Lotion looked up at her mother for approval. Shampoo shook her head but said nothing.

She had disappointed her mother once again.

**

* * *

**

It was near closing time at the Cat Café. Ryuku had returned back to work several days ago with a few cuts and bruises on his face. He had recovered greatly since the last time she had seen him. Despite knowing that he was hospitalized, he refused to tell her the reason why he was in the hospital.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Lotion noticed something lying on the floor. Upon closer inspection she saw that it was a photograph. She picked it up with nimble fingers and analyzed the young woman smiling at her with gentle brown eyes. The woman in the photo was certainly attractive. She had long wavy brown hair that spilled over her shoulders in thick layers. In the photo, the woman was wearing a school uniform that belonged to Furinkan High School.

Lotion didn't understand where the photo came from. She flipped the picture over. On the back written in black marker with neat handwriting was a short message (_For my favorite kiddo, don't stop being cute! Love, Megumi_).

"…Megumi?" Lotion repeated in bewilderment. She rechecked the front of the picture before looking over the message a second time.

The squeaking sound of the kitchen door opening momentarily averted Lotion's attention away from the photo. Standing in the doorway was Ryuku, who had changed back to his to original form and was now adorned in more casual clothing. There was a yellow towel over his shoulder, his cheeks were slightly tinted pink (most likely from the warm water he had poured over himself), and he seemed to be in deep thought from the vacant expression on his face.

Immediately, Lotion beamed at him. "Ryuku!" she chirped cheerfully. "Are you about to go home?"

He dismissed her question. "I was looking for something."

"Oh? Do you need some help?"

His eyes landed on the photo in her hand. "Where did you get that?" he didn't give her a chance to answer. He marched up to her and snatched it from her hands.

"That belongs to you?" she asked. Ryuku reached into his back pocket for his wallet, where he slid the picture into one of its slots. "Who is she?"

Ryuku shot her a glare. "It's none of your business."

"There's no need to be so snappy," she whined with a pout on her lips. "I just wanted to know who the pretty woman in the picture was." Ryuku didn't answer. "She must mean a lot to you."

"Don't assume things," he grumbled under his breath. He turned away from her and headed for the kitchen door.

She dashed in front of him, stopping him from exiting. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

At first, he ignored her. Or at least he attempted to ignore her. It was difficult to try to get past her. An annoyed grunt escaped his mouth and he took a step away from her. "No thanks. I'm fine walking by myself."

"Are you sure?" Lotion asked. "You look like you could use the company."

"Well, I don't."

"I think you should give your answer some actual thought."

"I _did_," he said. "So, if you'd please get out of my way. I don't want to spend all night here."

After a few beats of silence, Lotion stepped aside. It wasn't until Ryuku left the restaurant that she looked at her mother, who had been listening to their entire conversation. All she was given was a tiny satisfied smirk.

It was enough for her to know that she had done well.

**

* * *

**

It was a little past midnight when she decided to drop by for a visit to the Saotome residence. She knew he'd be awake. He was always awake at this time of night. She leapt off the edge of the roof and gracefully landed in front of the window that led to Ryuku's room. The window was covered with a thin blue curtain with the light inside spilling through the tiny spaces that the curtain didn't cover. She lifted up a dainty pink paw and lightly rapped on the window. The end of the curtain was pushed aside; a blue eye peaked outside to check the late night visitor. Several moments later, the curtains were spread open and the window was opened.

A smile was on Ryuku's lips when he gazed down at her. "Sayo," he murmured. "You always know when to show up don't you?" he scooped her up in his arms. "Maybe you can tell me where Seichi ran off to this time…" he trailed off and she took this opportunity to jump out of his arms and onto his bed.

She curled herself into a tiny ball on top of his pillow. Ryuku kneeled down next to his bed and began to search for something underneath it. He came back up with a wooden box in his hands and took a seat on the edge of his bed. Curiously, she moved from her space on his pillow and decided to reside on top of his lap instead. Ryuku didn't mind the sudden intrusion. With his fingers, he began to stroke the top of her head. A pleased smile curled on his lips from the purring that he elicited from her.

Soon the top of the box was removed; she peered closer to see the contents were mostly old photos and old postcards. Ryuku picked up a photo, she noticed that his eyes softened and his smile formed into a thin line. He looked to be reminiscing.

"You want to see her, Sayo?" he lowered the photograph in front of her face. Her eyes widened and she meowed in shock. It was that young woman again. The woman she had seen in the photograph back at the Cat Café.

Ryuku spent almost an hour showing her at least half of what he had in the box. Showing her all the photos, postcards, and even three to four paged handwritten letters. She slipped away from his room when Ryuku had fallen asleep with a picture of the woman and himself when he was much younger in his hand.

**

* * *

**

"Mother, may I speak to you for a moment?"

Her mother slammed the drawer to the cash register shut. She wouldn't show such hostility in front of customers. That would be unprofessional. The Cat Café had closed an hour ago, now it was time to clean up the day's work and count up the amount of money they had earned for the day. Closing time was also the opportunity for her mother's true colors to show behind closed doors.

"You already finish cleaning, yes?" was what her mother asked first. She narrowed her eyes on her daughter in expectance. When she received a nod, she turned her gaze back to the counter. "What you want? Shampoo have no time for useless chatter."

"I know, mother," Lotion agreed. She hung her head down and stared at the tiled flooring of the restaurant. "It's just that I feel that what I have to tell you is important."

"Is that so?" Shampoo mocked. She propped her elbow on the counter and rested her chin against her palm. "Then spit it out, Lotion. Shampoo no have all day."

Lotion opened her mouth to speak, but her mother clucked her tongue already in disapproval. "…what is it, mother?"

Shampoo shook her head. With her other hand, she ran her fingers through her thick purple tresses. "Lotion is being very rude. When you speak to Shampoo, you look Shampoo in eyes."

"I'm so sorry, mother! I didn't mean to be rude—"

"Enough!" Shampoo shouted. "You already wasting Shampoo's time! Spit it out now! Shampoo is already not happy with Lotion!"

Hesitantly, Lotion shifted her gaze up to her mother. The patronizing stare targeted at her did nothing to sooth her uneasiness. "Mother, I want to say something about my future husband. Is that alright with you?"

All she was met with was silence. Shampoo strolled around the counter so that she could stand in front of her daughter. She reached forward to wrap her hand around Lotion's wrist and dragged her to the storage room in the back.

"We talk somewhere else," she muttered coldly. "Somewhere that is more private than here."

Shampoo yanked the door to the storage room harder than necessary and harshly shoved Lotion inside. Lotion crashed into the wall, barely missing the wooden shelves of supplies, and let out a pained yelp at the throbbing starting at her arm. She held onto it with a gentle grip, glancing over her shoulder to see her mother standing in the doorway.

"Now," Shampoo hissed. "We speak how Amazon women are meant to speak."

"Mother," Lotion began in Chinese. "I think that you've made a mistake. Ryuku will never love me."

Shampoo slammed her fist against the wall. "That's nonsense! Why must we always have this conversation? It's already been decided that you and Ryuku will marry. It's been decided ever since you were born. You two are meant to be and that is final. This conversation is over."

"But mother! I don't love him! I've tried so hard to see him as the man I want to spend my life with…but I can't."

"You clearly aren't trying hard enough."

"I don't want to disappoint you. I'm trying my best to make you proud of me. All my efforts in getting his affections are pointless. He already loves another."

"Did I say that this was going to be easy?" Shampoo questioned. "Did I say that he would instantly fall in love with you? Do you really think love is that simple?"

Lotion shook her head. "No, I wasn't saying that—"

"Stop giving me excuses! I did not raise you to be this insolent! I expect better from an Amazon warrior. I expect better from my daughter."

"I," she stopped. No more excuses. "I apologize, mother. I have brought shame to our family—to our Amazon people. I will never repeat this mistake again."

"You must have patience, Lotion. Eventually, he'll realize that he loves the wrong woman."

"Yes, mother."

"Men are blind," her mother bit out harshly. "Men love what they shouldn't sometimes. Remember that."

"I will, mother."

A satisfied smirk was on Shampoo's lips. She cleared her throat and said now in her broken Japanese. "Shampoo be right back."

The door shut with a soft click. Lotion collapsed onto her knees and rested the back of her head against the cold concrete wall behind her. She would be here for awhile. It wasn't the first time her mother locked her into this room.

**

* * *

**

After delivering many orders to houses, she had returned to the Cat Café ready for a quick break. However, her mother had different ideas. Lotion was shooed away from the restaurant with a bowl of ramen shoved into her arms.

"You visit Ryuku!" was what her mother had told her. "He at school! Lunch time at Furinkan is in few minutes. Lotion be sure to show up early."

With an exasperated sigh, she hoped onto her bicycle with no protests and biked on the route that would lead her to the high school. Strapped onto the back if her bike, was the steel container which provided temporary shelter for the bowl. She didn't understand why her mother wanted to waste food on him. They both knew he never ate any of the food the Cat Café provided. Even when it was their lunch break, Ryuku simply spent the fifteen minutes sleeping, instead of filling up his stomach with food.

As she rode down the streets, she tilted her back to gaze at the passing scenery around her. The day's weather was wonderful. It wasn't too cold or too hot. It was absolutely perfect. She ached at not being allowed to enjoy the day. She longed for a day where she wouldn't have to work or please her mother. A sad sigh left her lips; she knew that was only wishful thinking. As long as Ryuku existed, she'd have to spend the rest of her life getting him to love her.

Any normal girl wouldn't have to deal with such a burden. A young girl like her should be spending her life doing what made her happy, not what made her mother happy.

It wasn't long before she had arrived at Ryuku's school. She left her bike in the hiding spot she had found during one of her many visits to Furinkan. Lotion wrapped a hand around the container's handle and dashed through the schoolyard. She made a beeline for Ryuku's usual lunch spot. When she got there, she leapt up on one of the trees branches.

Once she was settled into a comfortable seating position, she decided to waste time by counting the amount of leaves the tree had. She wished she was somewhere else.

She shouldn't be here at Ryuku's school, waiting for him to show up so she could shower him with false affection. She should be out living her life, instead of wasting it away.

She shifted the container next to her on the tree branch and placed herself against the tree trunk. Her eyes shut as she listened to the calming noises around her. It was so tempting to fall asleep.

**

* * *

**

The sound of voices below woke Lotion up from her nap. Her eyelids slowly opened and she lazily rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She lifted her arms up in the air and began to stretch her stiff muscles. After letting out a yawn, she sat up so that her legs were dangling off the branch and stretched them as well. She took hold of the branch with a firm grip before flipping upside down to see the visitors underneath her.

The first thing her eyes caught was the sight of red hair. Of course, the person could only be Ryuku Saotome. Lotion didn't know many people around Nerima that had hair like Ryuku's. He had taken a seat in front of the tree, his attention focused solely on the nervous girl in front of him. The two were completely oblivious of her presence. Lotion glanced over to the container next to her. There was no point on checking the food she had brought along. It was ruined.

"I said, I wasn't hungry today," Ryuku said. "You can take your food and leave now."

The girl clenched her fingers around the bento in her hand. "…how was your vacation?"

"Would you get out of here?" he snapped. "I'm not in the mood to answer your stupid questions that you always ask me."

"I was just…" she swallowed down the rest of her sentence: _worried about you_.

"Do you listen to anything I say?"

Lotion took this opportunity as a chance to make herself known. At the rate that this conversation was going, it wouldn't be long before the poor girl burst into tears. She landed behind Ryuku without a sound and wrapped her arms around him. Ryuku tensed from her touch.

"Ryuku, I've missed you!" she placed her chin on his shoulder. Her eyes were on the girl taking in the startled expression on her face. "I was waiting here for hours! What took you so long?"

"What are you doing?" he removed her arms off of him and got onto his feet. "Would you leave me alone? I already told you that I don't like you."

"You can't say that," Lotion insisted. She crossed her arms over her chest. "The only way you'd find out is if you take me out on a date."

Ryuku snorted. "The only way that'd happen was if I was being threatened at gunpoint."

"That's so mean, _Ryu_!" she saw his eye twitch from the nickname. "Why would you say that? I only do these things, because I love you!" Another quick glance towards the girl, her jaw had dropped. This was not the first time Lotion had proclaimed her "love" towards the redhead.

Again, Ryuku's eye twitched. "Stop saying that."

"Why? What's wrong with telling the person that I love—"

Ryuku's shoulders shook. He snapped his head towards the girl and snarled. "Get out of here! I'm tired of you always eavesdropping on me!"

The girl scampered off. Lotion could hear her heartbreak. Her heart went out to the poor thing. If mother had allowed her to have friends, Lotion wouldn't have minded to have a girl like her for a companion. It was a shame that her mother told her that everything besides work and Ryuku was a distraction.

"That wasn't very nice…"

"Shut up!" Ryuku exclaimed. "Who cares if I'm not being nice! Do you think I care about something like that? If I have to yell at her to get her to leave me alone then I'll do it. I'm tired of her clinging onto me."

"Maybe she only does those things because she likes you," Lotion replayed the image of the girl's expression on her face. "Of course," she added just to keep up her charade. "She doesn't like you as much as _I_ do."

"…was there something that you wanted?" Ryuku asked. "Is that why you're here?"

"There's no particular reason for my visit this time," Lotion answered. She took a few steps towards him and wrapped her arms around him. She rested the side of her face against his chest. If he had seen the lies in her eyes, he'd know that her affections for him weren't real. She didn't need to be scolded by her mother for a thing like that. "I wanted to see you again."

Ryuku stepped back. He raised a hand up to cup her cheek and gently tilted her head back so that she could look into his eyes. Lotion was puzzled by the gesture. She couldn't stop her heart was starting to race.

He leaned down to murmur. "…that girl in that picture you saw."

Lotion scolded herself for getting flustered. She held onto his hand that was on her chin and lovingly rubbed it on her cheek. "She was pretty."

"…she's beautiful."

It was unusual to hear him say such words. "…I suppose she is."

"That girl, Megumi," Lotion dropped his hand and stared at him. He held onto her gaze. "She's the one that I…"

"Love?"

Ryuku nodded, his cheeks tinted a light pink. "…yeah. I do."

"Are you sure you do?"

He shot her a dirty look. "What kind of question is that?" he spat. "Of course, I do! I don't joke about stuff like that!"

"If it was true," she circled around him, acting as if she was a predator that was cornering their prey. "You would have admitted your feelings for her."

"Not everyone acts the same when they're in love," Ryuku muttered darkly. He fell back so that he could lean against the tree. "Sorry, if I don't run down the streets confessing my love for her. That's not who I am."

She hopped up in the air and landed right in front of him. "You're right," she said. "That seems more like something I would do isn't it?"

He simply shrugged rather than choosing to answer.

"Guess that means I need to try harder doesn't it?"

"That means why you _need_ to stop," he told her firmly. "I don't need this constant affection you throw at me. I don't need that girl trying to give me whatever the hell she's trying to get out of me. I don't need anything from anyone when I have _her_."

"…I see."

"Do you?" he asked. "You're stubborn. I know you never listen to a word I say."

She forced a bubbly giggle. "You know me so well, Ryu. You're right. I won't give up on you yet. You are my husband after all." She placed her hand onto his shoulder and stood onto her tiptoes. After giving him a quick peck on the lips, she jumped onto the tree branch to pick up the container she had left up there, and left Ryuku by himself.

There was a glint in Ryuku's eyes that she never seen before. _Love._ She glanced over her shoulder, looked over to Ryuku's figure that was starting to shrink out of her view.

She wondered what it was like to be truly in love.


	9. Ch 7: The Developments of a Plan: P1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma 1/2. The only things that belong to me are the story and my own characters.

**

* * *

****Chapter 7:** The Developments of a Plan: Part 1

"_Ranma!" _

_Shampoo almost didn't believe her eyes at first. Why would her love be out at this hour? It just didn't make any sense. She slipped on her slippers and jumped out of the window of her and Mousse's small apartment that was located near their restaurant. Walking down the streets of Nerima in the middle of the early morning, specks of darkness still lingering in the sky, was none other than Ranma Saotome. _

_Ranma was wearing his usual attire nowadays. Long ago, he had abandoned his Chinese clothing he had worn back when he was teenager, and instead chose to wear different martial artists gear. On his upper body he wore a sleeveless black tunic along with matching black slacks. Strapped onto his back was an oversized backpack that one would usually use for long travels._

"_Ranma!" she called out again. "Airen!" He must have been deep in thought. Otherwise why would he ignore her? _

_Shampoo had no trouble catching up to him. She grabbed hold of his backpack and with her Amazon strength forced him to slow down. However, Ranma stopped on his own accord and turned around to face her._

"_What're you doin', Shampoo?" he asked. "You should be back in bed with Mousse."_

_A scowl played across her lips. She let out a scoff and crossed her arms over her chest. "Ranma know Shampoo no love Mousse! Shampoo's heart will always belong to Ranma. To Shampoo's airen!"_

"_Shampoo, we've been over this already…" _

_He rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. He sounded so tired. Shampoo couldn't remember when he had lost the arrogant tone of voice he always carried. She blamed Akane for that. If Ranma had chosen his wife more wisely he would have lived a much better life. Shampoo removed the hand off of his face. She looked into his eyes and searched for the emotions surging through them. _

_Ranma stared back at her. "Shampoo—"_

"_Where Ranma going?"_

_He had expected the question. "Nowhere that you needa know."_

"_If Ranma is going somewhere then Shampoo going too!"_

"_No! You ain't going anywhere!" he exclaimed. "Shampoo will you just go home already? No one was supposed to know I was leavin'!"_

"_You mean, Violent Girl no knows?" Shampoo asked curiously. She held onto his bicep. "Not even Violent Girl's son?" Ranma scuffed his shoes on the ground. This response intrigued Shampoo even more. "Why you no tell them?"_

"_I ain't talking' to ya anymore!" he swung around and hightailed it. "Go to bed!" _

"_Come back, Ranma!"_

_She broke into a sprint to her apartment, grabbed a bag and quickly stuffed it full with supplies that she'd need. On her hurried way out, she noticed her daughter curled up into her father's side. She sighed and pressed a kiss on her forehead before leaving. _

_As she headed in the direction where Ranma had ran off, she only had one message printed into her mind: where ever Ranma went, she went._

**

* * *

**

Lotion needed to be watched constantly.

This was something Shampoo had found out a long time ago. When Lotion was just a little girl and still naïve and full of innocence that youth could only possess. Her daughter used to be so hyper, always jumping all over the place with such energy. It wasn't long for Shampoo to make her learn better—to grow out of that useless phase. However, even if Lotion knew how to control these urges that'd provide her no help with the future, she still had slip-ups, which was why she made sure to watch her.

It was early in the morning. Two hours exact before the Cat Café would open for another day of successful business. Shampoo was in the middle of sweeping the floor, while Lotion took the garbage to the dumpster in the back. She placed the broom behind the counter of the cash register, and walked out the door her daughter had exited out of. Lotion had left about ten minutes ago. Taking out trash did not take that long. Lotion was already doing something that she was not supposed.

Why was it that the girl never seemed to learn?

And just like Shampoo thought, she found Lotion on her knees in the dirt, humming an ancient Chinese song, while picking flowers from the bushes and grass. Shampoo growled much like a tiger would and refrained herself from striking her daughter. It was much too early to be acting violent.

"Lotion!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "What you doing?"

Her daughter almost dropped the flowers in her hand. Hesitantly, she turned her head in the direction her mother had yelled. "I was picking some flowers."

"Why you do that?" Shampoo asked. "Cat Café no need things like that!"

"They're not for the restaurant, mother."

"What they for then?"

"I was planning on visiting—"

"Your husband?" There wasn't anyone else that could be on her daughter's mind. There_ shouldn't_ be someone else. "You give flowers to him, yes? That is only answer Shampoo see."

Lotion nodded. "Yes, mother. These are for him."

"That good. That very good." she giggled. "Shampoo go back inside now. You no take too long."

**

* * *

**

There was a loud thud on the door, which startled Ryou out of his short lived nap. He sleepily blinked at the ceiling above him, staring blankly at the ceiling fan that was slowly spinning around. Ryou knew that Ryuku was going to visit him sometime today. There was no specific time that they agreed on, just that he'd visit sometime before nightfall. Once again there was that loud thud. Ryou rolled his eyes, he didn't understand why Ryuku even bothered knocking—no was else was going to visit for the day.

"Would you just come in already?" it took several seconds before the door finally opened. Ryou gaped in disbelief. He held back a laugh as he managed to say. "_Ryuku_? Is that you?"

Slowly, he sat up in the hospital bed. Standing rather awkwardly at the door was his friend, who at the moment was very much female. That wasn't the part that was unusual. They'd known about each others curses ever since they were children. With an amused smirk, Ryou ran his eyes up and down the black haired girl. He did this with good reason. Aside from the Cat Café uniform, seeing Ryuku Saotome in feminine clothing wasn't something that happened very often.

Ryuku fidgeted under Ryou's gaze. She released her iron hold on the doorknob and didn't flinch when it slammed shut behind her. She stood before him wearing pink overalls, along with matching colored slippers (that had ribbons tacked onto the top of them) and underneath the overalls she wore a yellow shirt. Ryou could've sworn he saw some hearts decorated all over it. He'd have to take a closer look to make sure.

Across Ryuku's lips was an annoyed scowl, she crossed her arms over her chest and grumbled. "Would you stop looking at me like that? You're creeping me out."

Ryou laughed at that. "I'm sorry," he said through a chuckle. "It's just when you told me you were visiting, I didn't think you'd show up looking like…_that_."

With a huff, Ryuku headed over towards the bed and took a seat on the chair next to the bed. Her cheeks were flushed in embarrassment and she felt the need to pull at the ends of her that was now curled. "I was planning on going as a girl," she explained. "Just to, you know, avoid all the hassle as Bloody Knife Saotome. It's never good to be seen at the hospital as a guy, not with my reputation anyway."

He used his good hand to rub at the sleeve of Ryuku's shirt (which like he had suspected before was in fact decorated with _glittered_ pink hearts). "That doesn't explain the outfit Ryuku."

"If you must know," Ryuku gritted out in annoyance. "Misaki _insisted_ that if I visit you I look my best. In the last hour, I've suffered the most girliest hour of my life! You don't know how hard it was for me to talk her out of putting me in a dress!"

A short bark of laughter escaped Ryou's mouth before he could stop himself. He smiled at the glare Ryuku gave him. "I'm not good enough for you to put a dress on?"

Ryuku's scowl deepened. "Would you shut up? I don't joke about your curse, pig breath."

"Yeah, yeah," Ryou said. "Don't get your panties in a bunch…" he stopped and leaned closer towards Ryuku's face.

"Ever hear of personal space, Hibiki?" she hissed as she leaned away from him.

For his answer, Ryou began to break into a fit of laughter. He laughed so hard until his sides ached and his eyes had tears in them. When his laughter finally died down, he wiped at his eyes with his shirt. "…I can't believe you're wearing make-up. I think I can now die happy."

Ryuku's face fell. "They said it wasn't noticeable!"

"…they?"

"Well, Misaki isn't that great with make-up," Ryuku reluctantly bit out. "She had to have help from Aunt Kasumi."

And just like that Ryou slipped into another fit of laughs. "You need to stop! I think I'm going to die from all this laughing!"

"Shut up! It's not even that funny!"

"Calm down," Ryou sighed in content. "It's all just some good old fashioned teasing. You don't need to get all riled up."

"Riled up?" she repeated angrily. "_You're _not the one in the getup!"

He rolled his eyes. Leave it to Ryuku to be a drama queen. "You could've said no," he pointed out matter-of-fact. "No one forced you to come here dressed like that. It's not that hard to come as yourself—in girl form anyway."

"Have you met Misaki?" she snapped grumpily. "I can't say no to that girl! She has some sort of power over me!"

"How has Misaki been doing?"

"…she's much better now that I'm out of the hospital," Ryuku looked at Ryou's arm that was still in a sling. "She's worried about you though. She said she'd be sure to visit next time I go."

"I'm surprised," Ryou said. "I thought I would have gotten out of the hospital before you. My mom told me that you weren't supposed to get out for months, and it took you what—four weeks to get out?"

"I don't know what happened," Ryuku shrugged. "Everything healed up so fast, and before I knew it they said I could go home."

"That's amazing."

"What about you? Shouldn't you be out by now? You look pretty healed up!"

"It's my arm," Ryou said. "So far none of the therapy has done any good. My mom is still insistent that we do it. She really hopes that it starts working soon."

"…I hope it does too."

"Don't worry about me. I'm sure it'll work out in the end. At least you're all better now. I was getting tired of worrying over you."

Ryuku snorted. "Good to know you care."

Suddenly, there was a tap at the window. The two shared a look of confusion before looking over at the window that was covered by the curtains. Ryuku went over to move the curtains aside. Hanging upside down on the other side of the window was Lotion. As a greeting, she waved her hands at the both of them, although Ryuku noticed much to her dismay that Lotion's eyes were trained on her. Ryuku was quick to shut the curtains.

"Looks like it was just a bird that hit the window," Ryuku grumbled as she made a move to reclaim her seat on the chair.

"Don't be a jerk!" Ryou exclaimed albeit a tad too loudly. "You can't just leave her out there like that! Let her in!"

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at her friend. His cheeks were already flushed a dark red and it wouldn't be long before he'd start to fidget. "Are you sure you can handle it?" she asked. "I don't want you to pass-out again."

Ryou scowled. "That was one time, Ryuku. I'm much better now."

"This is coming from the guy that passed out from a girl touching your shoulder."

"It wasn't just _a girl_!" Ryou said in defense. "It was Lotion! So, it's completely understandable."

"Whatever, man, it's your funeral," Ryuku sighed, with a little shake of her head. She reopened the curtains and opened the window. "Leave me alone, Lotion." And with that she went to sit back down.

"Ryuku!" Lotion skipped over to the chair and looked her up and down—very much the same way that Ryou had done earlier. "You look very pretty today! Those overalls are adorable."

"The compliments aren't necessary," Ryuku huffed and glanced out of the corners of her eyes to then ask the Amazon. "What are you even doing here anyway?"

Lotion made a quick trip back to the window to retrieve the vase she had set down. "I came for a surprise visit!" she hopped onto the other side of the mattress and presented the vase to Ryou. "I even brought flowers to brighten up the room!"

Ryou's eyes widened and he began to sweat. "You came to visit m-me?" It wasn't long before a dopey grin was on his lips. Lotion saw Ryuku roll her eyes. "That's so nice of you! The flowers look great! Thank you!"

"Where do you want me to put them?" Lotion asked.

"I can hold onto them!"

Ryuku took this time to but into their conversation. "Don't be stupid," she reached over the bed to take the vase from Lotion's hands, and set them down on top of the nightstand. "You'll end up breaking the vase if you hold them."

Lotion giggled cutely at Ryuku's comment. "Ryuku has a point," she paused and looked between the two of them. "Did I interrupt something between you two? If you want I can come back later—"

"No!" Ryou blurted out. He realized how bad he sounded and abruptly regained his composure. "I-I mean, there's no need for that! We were done talking anyway. Weren't we Ryuku?"

She held back a snort. "Yeah, we were done alright."

With a short nod, Lotion took a quick skim of the small hospital room. "Where should I sit?" Her mother would be very proud of what she was about to do. Without warning, she hopped onto Ryuku's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck. "This seat will do!"

A startled yelp came from the girl she was sitting on top of. Her hands shot up into the air refusing to touch the over enthusiastic Amazon on her lap. "Lotion!" she hissed furiously. "Get the hell off of me!"

"There's no where else to sit," Lotion informed her. "You don't want me to sit on the dirty floor do you?"

"That choice sounds better then—" Ryou cut Ryuku off by beginning a casual conversation. "How are you doing Lotion?"

Lotion rested her head on top of Ryuku's, despite how much the girl protested. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking," she smiled. "And how are you?"

Ryuku watched the two exchange answers in silence. She dropped her hands down so she could instead grab onto the handles of the chair. The flush on Ryou's cheeks had vanished and his fidgeting had stopped. It there was one thing that her friend was good at, it was pretending that there wasn't anything bothering him.

It was a pity that Lotion didn't notice that there was a potential boyfriend already in front of her.

**

* * *

**

Shampoo was counting every minute that past. So far she had counted past an hour. An hour past the time she had set for her daughter's curfew. She sat at the kitchen table of her apartment with the lights off. Water dripping from the sink and the refrigerator's low hum were the only sounds echoing throughout the otherwise quiet room. She tapped her finger on the dinner table, an empty bowl of noodles and a plate of half-eaten rice placed in front of her.

Her husband had gone off to bed a long time ago without mentioning a word to her. Even before the disappearance of Ranma, their marriage had already started to crumble. Mousse had hoped the starting of a family would change Shampoo's mind. For awhile he was willing to do anything for his marriage to work out. When Shampoo was pregnant with Lotion that was when she began to develop the early stages of her plan. Her plan on how to get revenge on the woman who had ruined her—Akane Tendo, or should she say: Akane Saotome?

On the other hand, Mousse wanted to have a big family. Shampoo remembered the countless conversations he had with her. Those talks that they had back when they used to live in China and when it was the early days of their marriage.

"_Oh, Shampoo! I can't believe we're already having our first child!" Mousse ran a hand over Shampoo's slowly growing belly lovingly. "I still can't believe we're married! To think that foul Saotome had finally given me you!"_

_Shampoo hid the disgust off her face. A feigned smile curled over her lips. She let out a happy giggle. "Oh, Mousse!" she mocked. "I'm so happy!"_

"_As am I, Shampoo!" he beamed. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. As usual, Shampoo was the one to break their short lip-lock. Mousse didn't mind, he placed both his hands on the sides of Shampoo's stomach. "I wonder if we'll have a son or daughter. The next time we go to the Elders do you think we should ask?"_

"_It's no matter," She resisted the urge to remove his hands off of her body. Ranma was the only one who would be allowed to lay a hand on her. "I'll be happy with whatever we have."_

"_To think," Mousse mused. "Soon we'll have one big family running around the village!" _

"…_what a wonderful thought."_

"_You know, when you finally agreed to marry me Shampoo, I already knew how many kids we'd have."_

"_Is that so, Mousse?"_

"_Yes, Shampoo," he grinned. "We'd have five. I always wanted to have a son. If we end up having a daughter first, I don't mind. I'd love her all the same. We'll have two sons and three daughters. That sounds perfect doesn't it?"_

_Shampoo pretended to give it some thought. "It sounds amazing."_

The front door slammed shut. The sounds of her daughter singing mingled with the noises flowing in the kitchen. Shampoo waited. The lights in the kitchen flickered on and Lotion immediately noticed her mother. She tensed, the song dying on her lips, and the happiness bubbling in her body fizzled away.

In their apartment they always spoke their native language. "Do you know what time it is?" Shampoo asked. She pointed at the cat clock hanging over the kitchen's doorframe. "You should have been home a long time ago and you know that. So, why are we having this discussion?"

"M-mother," Lotion swallowed and tried again with a stronger voice. "Mother, I lost track of time and I—"

Shampoo shook her head. "Why do you insist on lying to me?"

"I'm sorry."

"Are you really?" Shampoo asked, unimpressed. "Lately all you've been doing is apologizing. It seems every time you say it, you don't even mean it."

Lotion held back a sob. "I-I'm sorry, mother. I don't mean to upset you."

"I don't want you to say those words unless you mean them," with her index finger, she beckoned her daughter to come sit down with her. Lotion slipped into the seat in front of her. "Now tell me how your visit with your husband was."

"It was…" she paused. "Lovely."

"Did he enjoy the flowers?"

"He did. He said he'd be sure to take care of them."

Shampoo raised an eyebrow at her. "How thoughtful of him," she pressed on. "Where did you meet him?"

Lotion kept silent.

"As I thought," Shampoo spat. "You're lying to me again." She spewed out several long curses and walked over to the sink. "Now where did you really go?"

"…to the hospital," Lotion gasped out. "I-I visited Ryou Hibiki."

"Why would you do that?" Shampoo hissed. "You shouldn't be paying attention to other boys! Not when you already have a husband!"

"I thought he needed some company. He's been in the hospital longer than Ryuku and I felt bad for him."

"Stop wasting your emotions on others."

"I'll never do it again, mother," Lotion assured her. "I should have known better than to do that! B-But Ryuku was there!"

"Was he now?"

"Yes, mother! I'm not lying I swear!"

Shampoo scoffed. "I'm very disappointed in you, Lotion," she picked up an empty glass from inside the sink and filled it up with cold water. "So disappointed that I can't stand to look at you."

She threw the water onto her daughter. The change triggered fast, like it always did, and sitting on top of the chair was a very soaked cat. Shampoo gazed at the cat in disgust. She picked up by the fur and tossed her out in the hallway. The cat looked up at her with big eyes, pleading for her to change her mind. Shampoo let out a sadistic chuckle and knelt down in front of the small feline.

She patted it on the head and cooed out. "Be sure to be on time for work tomorrow."

**

* * *

**

Before, whenever break time came around, Lotion was allowed to spend her fifteen minutes however she pleased. However that all changed when Ryuku started to work at the restaurant. Her mother had restricted her to spend her break in the kitchen from now on. Lotion sat at the wobbly table that was shoved into the corner, while her mother, who for some strange reason was being kinder than usual, was brewing some tea for her. Shampoo padded over to Lotion with a plate. When she set the plate down in front of Lotion, her daughter saw that her mother had prepared her some steamed meat buns.

"Thank you!"

Shampoo smiled sweetly. "Tea almost done. Be patient."

With an eager nod, Lotion picked up one of the buns and took a large bite. One of the things she was most grateful for was her mother's cooking. Whenever she had the change to have it, she made sure to take advantage of it. The door swung open and Ryuku strolled in with a tray piled with dirty dishes. Ryuku headed to the kitchen and set the tray down on the counter, she began to stack the dishes in the large sink when Shampoo strode up next to her.

"Ryuku no need do that!" she untied the bow on Ryuku's apron and slipped it off of her. "You take break now! Shampoo will take care of everything!"

Ryuku could only nod. Why would she say no to her boss? She walked over to the table and plopped down on the other chair. With a tired sigh, Ryuku crossed her arms in front of her so that she could rest her head on top of them. Lotion knew it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep. Shampoo opened up the cabinets above the stove and took out two cups. Carefully, she poured the scalding tea into the cups and set them down on a tray. She skipped over to the table, not spilling a single drop as she did so, and placed a cup in front of both of the girls.

Shampoo placed a hand over Ryuku's shoulder and gently shook her. "Sleep later. Drink tea while still hot."

Slowly, Ryuku lifted her head up. Her eyes stared at the cup before her and then darted up at Lotion, who had picked up her cup and was blowing onto the warm liquid to cool it down. "I don't really drink this stuff."

"That's a shame. Tea is wonderful. It has the most wonderful smell," as she brought the cup to her lips, she inhaled the fumes from the tea. She lowered the cup from her face and let out a pleased sigh. "It's so relaxing."

Ryuku stared at the cup with hesitance. She wrapped her hand around it, wincing slightly from the warmth, and took a small sip.

Lotion stared at her. "…well? Do you like it?"

She brought the cup down. "…I burnt my tongue."

"That tends to happen sometimes!" she laughed. "But it's good right?"

"I guess," Ryuku shrugged. She leaned down to take a closer look at the contents of the cup; she caught sight of tea leaves moving at the bottom. "It tastes kind of weird. Kind of…" she paused to think of a word. "I don't know. Bland?"

Lotion didn't understand. The tea she had was anything but bland. Had her mother given them the same drink? She reached a hand forward. "Let me try some."

However, the shout of protest from Shampoo startled her. "You no share drinks!" she hissed. "Drink own tea."

She moved her hands down and rested them on her lap. Shampoo sent her daughter a warning glare. Her mother finally left after taking care of the dishes. Every now and then, Ryuku would take a sip from her cup. Every time she sipped, she'd make a face, each time complaining the odd taste the drink had. Lotion came to the conclusion that the only reasonable explanation that Ryuku was having that problem was because she didn't drink tea often.

"Would you like a pork bun?" Lotion held the plate up for her. "They're really yummy. I think you'll like them."

Ryuku eyed the food. "…I'm not that hungry."

"Well," she put the plate back down. "If you get hungry, they'll be right here."

**

* * *

**

Lotion didn't understand.

One second ago Ryuku was perfectly fine. Then out of nowhere she suddenly burst into tears. Ryuku had covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. Lotion wasn't sure how she was supposed to approach the girl. She had never been in a situation like this before—not with Ryuku anyway. Eventually, after hearing Ryuku's loud wails of despair for at least five or six minutes, Lotion left her chair to stand at her side.

"Ryuku?" she asked gently, her hand cupping her shoulder. "Is everything alright?"

Ryuku removed her hands away from her face. "Do I look okay?" she snapped, whipping her head in Lotion's direction to point at her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, cheeks smeared with tears, and her nose was beginning to run.

"You look—"

"C-could you just get me a tissue or something?" she asked weakly, avoiding Lotion's attempt to gain eye contact.

Lotion retrieved a clean dish towel from a drawer. "Is this okay?"

Wordlessly, Ryuku snatched the towel from her hands and blew her nose. As she roughly wiped at her eyes she said. "Man, I don't know what came over me," she stared at the towel in her hands. "I just felt really bummed out and started bawling," She sighed and handed Lotion back the towel. "Thanks."

Then their eyes met and Ryuku's eyes immediately formed tears. "Oh my—" she cut herself off. "I'm so sorry!"

Without warning, Ryuku wrapped her arms around Lotion's waist and cried against her stomach. "I'm such a dick to you! You shouldn't have deal with all the shit I give you!"

Lotion patted Ryuku on the back as way to soothe the distressed girl down. "I, uh," she started uncomfortably. This was a side of Ryuku she had never seen before. "I'm sure you don't mean the things you do?"

"You don't have to defend me," Ryuku said, her voice muffled by Lotion's uniform. "I know I'm a jerk."

"Don't say that!"

"No! I am!" her voice cracked somewhat as let out those muffled shrieks. "I mean every single word I say," she paused to sniffle and then added. "Most of them anyway."

"Now you're just being too hard on yourself."

"I'm such a dick to so many people. I don't know why you even like me; I've never been nice to you."

Finally, Ryuku lifted her head up, which was when Lotion noticed something. Lotion brushed Ryuku's bangs back so that she could get a better look at her eyes. Instead of the usual shade of grey in Ryuku's eyes, her eyes were clouded over with a light black tint. From that little detail, Lotion managed to figure it all out. The reason for Ryuku's odd behavior was due to Amazon antics, which were most likely done by her mother.

Ryuku blinked. The black tint slowly faded. "I've got to go."

"Where are you going?"

"I've got to apologize to everyone," Ryuku told her. "I need to make sure I say sorry to every single person I've been a jerk too! Otherwise, I'll never be able to live with myself, Lotion! This is something I _need_ to do!"

"Ryuku—"

"I understand if you won't accept my apology," she sniffled sadly. "If I were you I wouldn't either, but I think you should at least know that I don't hate you." She gave Lotion a short hug. "I better get going. Who knows how long it'll take me to apologize to all those people!"

"Wait! Ryuku, you can't leave! This is all because of—" but she didn't bother to listen to the rest of Lotion's explanation and zipped out of the restaurant.

Lotion eyed the cup that her mother had given Ryuku. The cup was still on the table and half full. She made sure Shampoo was nowhere in the vicinity before she picked it up and sipped. At the moment, she couldn't come up with the name; however the tangy bitter taste that lingered on her tongue was certainly recognizable.

One of the numerous things that Lotion had learned from her great, great grandmother was to know the distinct taste differences with powders for there were so many to learn. Unfortunately, she would have to deal with the matter at a better time. If she kept standing there doing nothing, it wouldn't be long before Ryuku made a fool out of herself.

**

* * *

**

For the rest of the day, Lotion had spent the rest of the day doing her long list of errands in silence. She finished each listed task in a matter of seconds like a true professional would do. Shampoo had watched from a distance, impressed with her daughter's sudden change in attitude. It was a change she found herself immediately taking a liking to. She made a mental note to reward her daughter for her actions when they arrived at the apartment.

Shampoo double-checked everything with the restaurant: making sure everything was properly put away, the kitchen was tidied up, that everything with a lock on it was locked, and that the money was in a safe location. Once everything was perfect, Shampoo placed her necklace that she had attached the restaurant keys to back around her neck. She started on their walk to the apartment, knowing that her daughter was tagging behind her.

She checked over her shoulder to see her daughter focusing on the ground. "Since Ryuku left work early, I'm cutting half his pay for the rest of the week. I didn't hire him to do things like that without any reasonable explanations."

Normally, Lotion would have just nodded along with her mother. It was never wise to disagree with her. However, given what the events that had happened in the day, Lotion knew if she kept silent this time she'd regret it for the rest of her life.

"I don't think that's very fair, mother."

"Did I ask you for your opinion?"

"You drugged him!" Lotion shouted, not caring how loud she was being. "The reason he left was because of _you_! It was your fault! If anyone should have to deal with consequences it's you, mother!"

Immediately, Shampoo came to a halt. She turned around, fury already bubbling up inside her of as she glared at her daughter. "You drank the tea didn't you? After I specifically told you not to you disobeyed your mother anyway!"

"You _drugged_ him," Lotion repeated with venom. Her lips curled into an amused smirk. "And you didn't even give him the proper drug."

Shampoo raised an eyebrow at her daughter's sudden boldness. "I doubt that," she snorted. "I don't make mistakes."

Lotion mimicked Shampoo's facial expression, even let out a snort of her own. "Then tell me mother, what was it that you gave him? What was it that he was supposed to do?"

"It was to make him love you," Shampoo answered simply. "To forget about that stupid girl and to fall in love with you."

Lotion scoffed.

"I _helped_ you, Lotion. You should be grateful that I even lent a hand."

Lotion laughed. "A love drug?" she mocked. "Any true Amazon would be able to know the differences between a simple love drug and a_ remorseful_ drug!"

Shampoo's eyes narrowed on her. "How dare you speak like that to your mother!"

"The only thing you did right was that Ryuku _was_ on me," Lotion told her. "But that was only because he was sobbing all over me!"

"I don't have to hear any of this nonsense!"

"That's right!" Lotion agreed with a slight nod. "You never bother to listen to anyone but yourself! You're always right, mother, even when you're wrong!"

Shampoo stomped her foot down on the ground. "_Enough_!" she bellowed. "I've had it up to here with your attitude problem, Lotion. I've been keeping all of your little irritations to myself. But this—this is the last straw! I've ignored your dishonesty, your disobedience, your rudeness—everything. The reason I haven't done anything sooner was because that's what mothers do! I accept all your flaws."

"How can you even call yourself my mother?" Lotion screeched at the top of her lungs. "Any mother wouldn't treat their child like a slave. Never once in my life had you ever told me you loved me and _meant_ it. Never once have I seen you look at me like a mother would look at their child."

There was a loud smacking sound that echoed thoroughly the empty streets. Lotion held onto her cheek in shock and with wide eyes brimmed with tears. "I treat you how you're meant to be treated."

"As. A. Slave."

"As an Amazon."

"_I hate you!_" was what Lotion screamed before she tackled her mother to the cold ground.

Shampoo could already predict what her daughter's first move was. She easily caught her wrists; her nails barely touched the skin of her cheeks.

A dark chuckle rumbled from Shampoo. "Oh, Lotion," she giggled. "You're a hundred years too early to be facing me."

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

Shampoo picked Lotion up with her as she got back onto her feet. "That's fine. Hate me all you want." she said. "I can live without your affections." She threw Lotion into a brick wall. She watched with slight amusement as the wall easily broke and crumbled into chunks.

Lotion shrieked at the hand that grabbed roughly at her hair. Shampoo yanked her up, forcing her to sit up in the rumble. Her mother glared down at her with the coldest gaze she had ever seen.

"I can't stand to look at you," she spat on her face. "You are such a disappointment to me and to the Amazons. Just like your father. You know, he never even beat me in a fight."

Shampoo pulled even harder, smirking at the cry of pain from her daughter. "The only time I want to see you around here is when it's time to work, otherwise…" with her free hand she lightly patted Lotion's cheek—the one she had slapped earlier. "You'll need to find somewhere else to call home."

Only when her mother was out of sight did Lotion allow the tears to fall from her eyes.

**

* * *

**

This couldn't be right.

She looked back and forth at the small bags she held in each of her hands. The teachings she had received from her great grandmother were flawless. There was no possible way she had made a mistake like her daughter had said. Shampoo wrapped her hand around the bag she had in her right hand.

"Love," she murmured to herself. She did the same to the bag with her left. "Remorse." she refused to taste the contents in the bags—to check if she had indeed made a mistake.

Shampoo threw the bags at the wall in frustration. "Great grandmother!" she cried. "I need you! Why did you leave me?" Tears formed in her eyes. "I can't do this on my own anymore. You need to come back. You need to help me."

She opened the China cabinet that was placed in her otherwise mostly empty bedroom. Mousse wasn't home. She didn't care what he was up to. Her husband was the last thing that was on her mind. With shaking hands, Shampoo picked up the golden urn that was on the top shelf. She dropped onto her knees, holding the urn against her stomach. "Great grandmother, what should I do now?"

**

* * *

**

_The letter she had received from Lin Lin and Ran Ran came in the early morning. She read over it while Mousse and Lotion slept in the other room. Her lips curled into a __mischievous smirk as she reached the end of the letter. She had gotten all the information she had asked her fellow Amazons to get for her. Her plan was to be set in motion soon._

_Shampoo hid the letter with the others she had hidden from her family. She walked back into the bedroom and made her way over to the bed on the floor. She stood at the side of the bed. Her eyes watched her husband sleeping peacefully. Lotion was curled up behind him, one of her tiny hands holding onto his much larger ones as she slept. _

_The picture in front of her was one she didn't care to see. _

_Shampoo placed her hand on Mousse's shoulder and shook him until his eyes fluttered open. _

"_Shampoo, what is it?"_

_She looked Mousse dead in the eye and said. "We're going back to Nerima."_


	10. Ch 8: The Developments of a Plan: P2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 8:** The Developments of a Plan: Part 2

The dimly lit street seemed like an endless dark trail that would lead her further and further away from everything. She had no idea what time it was or began to walk down the streets of Nerima. All she had around her was the cool night sky above her, the sparkling stars scattered throughout the night, and the luminescent full moon that followed her every step.

Her hand pressed onto the tingly spot on her arm that was slowly starting to ebb away the pain that lingered. Despite, her body being injured, her mind was restless. So many thoughts were running through her mind. She could hear her mother's voice ringing in her head, telling her countless lies of the married life she would have one day.

The emotional pain was bearing its weight, unable to cope with such heavy emotion she let herself rest. Leaning against a wall, her mind drifted back to a certain memory during her childhood. It was a memory that she'd almost completely forgotten about, only because it seemed unimportant at the time.

It felt so long ago now.

She couldn't even remember the last time her mother took her to a festival.

"_Here you are, little girl!"_

_A tiny hand reached out for the sparking firework stick that the middle aged man was holding out with such a kind smile. Right as her fingertips brushed the rough skin of the man's hand, her hand was roughly slapped away. Startled, Lotion gazed up at her mother, who shot a nasty glare to the man, before snatching her daughter's hand._

_Her mother pulled her closer towards her, her eyes narrowed to slits as she scanned through the mob of people around them. She spoke to her Chinese. "What did I say about sneaking away from me, Lotion?" her mother hissed down at her. "You keep close to me at all times. Now is not the time to be fooling around! We're only here for business not fun!"_

_Lotion peeked behind her mother. She was still holding onto the supplies and had neatly placed everything onto their wagon, which displayed the name of the restaurant all over it. The ramen stand had run out of everything, they had called the Cat Café for an urgent refill of supplies, and her mother was quick to gather things and leave._

_How could her mother expect her not to be distracted? The festival was something she never thought she'd ever be allowed to experience. It was always business with her mother. All the other kids around her were having fun. Why was there an exception made only for her? Wasn't she a child as well?_

"_Mama," she lightly tugged at the silk sleeve of her mother's dress. "Can I go over there? To look at the fishes?" when her mother spared a glance at her, Lotion quickly pointed a finger to the stand where a group of kids crowded in front of a tank to catch fishes. _

"_What did I just say?"_

_Lotion's hopeful smile fell to a pout. "… We're only here for business."_

"_If you know that, why did you ask me such a stupid question?"_

"_I'm sorry, Mama," she murmured. "I won't upset you again."_

_Her mother shook her head but said nothing else. She only continued to drag her daughter along with her throughout the festival ground. Lotion tried her best to keep her eyes from wondering, but everything was so tempting to look at. Suddenly, her mother pulled her over to a stand._

"_Wait here," her mother told her firmly. "It'll only be a few minutes. If you behave yourself, I might allow you to buy something here."_

_Obediently, Lotion nodded her head. Her mother forbade her to have any money. The only time she was given money, she had spent it on sweets instead of purchasing the items it was intended for. It was a big deal for her mother to allow such a thing. The sudden sound of children laughing caught Lotion's attention. Curious, Lotion turned to look at the stand next to her, to her surprise; she found that her mother had left her at the stand she had mentioned earlier._

"_Had mama done this on purpose?" Lotion thought to herself._

_It wasn't long for Lotion to figure out the stand was a scam. The paper nets were rigged so that no one could win any of the fish. Lotion kept silent while she watched another kid lose their money. Having lost interest with the stand, Lotion decided to look for something for her eyes to catch. Something sparkled at a distance._

_Lotion debated leaving the stand. If she left then mother wouldn't be pleased._

"_I'll be quick," she told herself with a little nod, before scurrying off to where she had seen the sparkles. _

_It was jewelry. _

_Immediately, her eyes were caught by the alluring jewels which sparkled, in such a way that the light danced against anywhere the rays managed to land. She looked over the selection the vendor had to offer. Her hand reached out to pick up one of the necklaces. She brought the piece of jewelry up to her face to inspect the jewel. The vender gave her a smile—which she more than kindly returned—and then told her the price. _

_Feeling slightly foolish, she shook her head. "No money." her smiled turned apologetic, as she set the necklace back down with the countless others. "I can come back," she promised "When I get some money."_

_She quickly headed back to the stand her mother had set as her waiting spot, and patiently waited for her mother to return. But as minutes passed by there was no sign of her mother. She left to find the ramen stand. The vendors at the stand were busy fussing with the numerous customers crowding around them. Lotion slipped to the back where the tiny kitchen was and with a trembling voice asked them if they had seen her mother._

"_You mean the woman that brought us the supplies?" one of them asked her. Lotion nodded. "She left a long time ago."_

_Lotion struggled to fight against the panic that was startling to build up inside her. Frantically, she began to look left and right for any sign of her. Her mother was a beautiful woman. It was easy to spot her since she stood out from a simple crowd like this. But no matter how hard she looked her mother was nowhere in sight. Not knowing what else to do, Lotion ran back to the jewel vendor, who was desperately trying to gain customers attention. _

"_You tricked me!" Lotion wanted to scream at the vendor. "It's your fault I'm not with my mama!" Her mother taught her it was pointless to blame other people for problems that you've made yourself. So, she kept her mouth shut._

_Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder from behind, hoped swelled in her heart. "… Mama?" she asked. _

_When she turned around, she was already picturing her mother kneeling down before her with a hand stretched out for her to take. She begged to see her mother's catlike smile that she always tried to mimic. _

_But instead of her mother, it was a boy, who had tapped her shoulder and stood at least a head taller than her. _

_The boy had the reddest hair which contrasted to his blue eyes. A slight smile was on his lips, but Lotion knew it wasn't meant for her. In his hands he was fiddling with a plain blue cap, as he stared past her. _

"_Excuse me," Lotion stepped aside, and could only watch as he bent down like she had done before. He picked up the same necklace she had picked up. The boy looked over it in thought, weighed it in his hands, and even brought it up to his eyes for closer inspection. Finally, with a satisfied grin, he asked "How much?"_

_He reached into his back pocket for his wallet, fished the money out, and cheerfully dropped it onto the vendor's palm. Pleased with himself, the boy placed his cap on his head and left. Lotion wasn't sure why she did it, but she followed after the boy, who was singing an unfamiliar song, and was easily slipping through the crowds of people._

_Despite not knowing where he was even heading, Lotion followed him anyway. The feeling of comfort that she felt from him was a much better feeling that the fear she was experiencing before. It wasn't long before they were far away from the festival grounds. Far away from the colorful booths, cheerful laughter, ecstatic smiles, and flashing lights—far from everything. _

_The boy was walking down a dirt path that led them to a dark secluded area. There were trees of all shapes and sizes on the sides. From the distance, there was a small lake that reflected the waning moon off the shimmering water. The boy came to a sudden stop._

"_Why are you following me?" _

"… _I…" her mind drew a complete bank. She didn't know why she was following him. _

_He faced her, a scowl on his lips. "Look, I don't know you and you don't know me. Didn't your mommy ever teach you not to follow strangers?"_

_Lotion stared at him, before she let out a soft chuckle. "You can't be a stranger," she giggled. "You're my age aren't you?"_

"_Who cares?" he scoffed. "I don't need some girl following after me. Especially, some girl I don't even know."_

"_You don't have to worry. I'm an Amazon warrior," she announced proudly "I can protect you from all those strangers you're so scared of."_

_His scowl deepened. "I don't care what you are! I don't need a girl to take care of me. 'Sides, I'm a martial artist. That sounds way better than some… warrior princess."_

"_You're pretty cocky. Have you even fought an Amazon warrior before?" she asked him slyly, flipping her long purple hair over her shoulder. "I bet you haven't."_

"_What does it matter?" the boy asked, annoyed. "I don't fight girls."_

"_That can be easily fixed!" Lotion announced. She snatched the cap off his head and rearranged her hair so that it fit perfectly under the hat. "See? Now, I'm a jerk-face boy just like you!"_

_The boy stared at her like she was an idiot. "… That doesn't count. You're still a girl."_

"_How about we change clothes then?" Lotion suggested. "That way you can be the girl and I can be the boy!"_

_Without warning, she grabbed the front of his shirt and attempted to remove it. A shout of protest startled her, and the boy smacked her hands away from him. _

"_Quit it!" he snapped. "It doesn't work like that ok?"_

"_You've offended my honor." Lotion huffed. "We're fighting whether you want to or not!" and with that she swung her leg, aiming for the boy's head._

_The boy ducked and abruptly scrambled away from her. "Wait stupid! Let me put my stuff down! I don't want to wreck anything!"_

"_Oh?" Lotion smirked. "So, you want to fight now?"_

"_It's different," he said indigently, as he set his belongings down next to a tree trunk. "You started it. I can't back down from a fight someone else started. My masculinity would be at stake."_

"… _And we can't have that."_

_The boy rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his lips that he wasn't bothering to hide. _

The faint sound of thunder rumbling in the distance disrupted Lotion's reminiscing. She dropped her head back to look up at the sky. The moon and the stars were becoming blanketed from the forming dark clouds. Suddenly, a raindrop dropped on her forehead.

"Do you even remember that day?" she asked to no one in particular and closed her eyes once the shower started.

* * *

Three days had already passed since her mother had shunned her away from home. It wasn't difficult for her to find another place to call home. Unbeknownst to her mother, she had secretly gained a second home with the Saotome dojo. Unfortunately, she had to be in her cursed form in order to maintain residence.

Aside from that one small detail there were many perks from spending the night in the Saotome home. She was fed surprisingly well. Though she was given cat food mostly, but she'd gotten used to the taste a long time ago. There were times, though, where Ryuku would feed her scraps. Her needs were met every day and she able to see a side of Ryuku that she savored being exposed to. Just because she wasn't affectionate towards the red head, the way that her mother would like, she enjoyed receiving kindness from him.

Suddenly, an abrupt shift on the bed woke Lotion from her catnap. Groggily, she lifted her head up, her eyes half-lidded, and saw Ryuku shuffling over to his dresser. Puzzled, Lotion checked the time on the clock.

It was 6:50 in the morning.

That was odd. Why would he wake up so early? Today was a school day and Lotion was positive that school didn't start until 8:50. A confused meow came from Lotion, which earned her Ryuku's attention. He shed his pajamas and pulled on a pair of black shorts and a white tank top. While he changed, Lotion had made sure to avert her gaze to give him his privacy.

"Go back to sleep," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper.

She went against his word and hopped off his bed, quickly dashing past the door before it shut. Ryuku didn't notice her slip out into the hallway, and went for the staircase while Lotion silently crept after him. He stepped into the dojo and began to set things up into place. It became clear what he had risen early in the morning for. He was training. Which was odd because she knew that Ryuku had quit keeping the 'Anything Goes Martial Arts' alive, as far as she knew.

Lotion stayed near the doorway, her tail curiously swayed from side to side, as she watched him practice. Ryuku's movements were not fluid but rather choppy and amateurish. His strikes upon the punching bag were oddly placed; however, Lotion could see the determination radiating off him. His punches came to a stop due to exhaustion. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm and stiffened in surprise when he heard a soft mewl.

"Sayo?" he turned around to see Lotion scampering up to him. She stared up at him cutely and smiled showing all her sharp teeth. "What a sneaky kitten." He chuckled.

* * *

At work Lotion acted as if nothing was wrong between her and her mother. She feigned cheerful grins that she'd give customers; she feigned the upbeat hums while she cooked, and like always she faked the affections she showered upon Ryuku.

It was only during break that she finally let her mask slip. Lotion fetched herself a warm cup of milk, not in the particular mood for tea after the incident, and went to take a seat at the table. It wasn't long before her co-worker, Ryuku, sauntered into the kitchen. She was completely was oblivious to the intense atmosphere between Lotion and her mother.

Despite there being no dishes to wash, Ryuku stayed near the large steel sink anyway. Her eyes stared at the droplets of water that dripped from the sink nozzle. Uneasy, Lotion bit at her thumbnail. She raked her eyes over the other girl and unable to look away from her she noticed Ryuku's bandaged hands.

"Do you want me to make you something?"

Ryuku shook her head "No, thanks."

"Why don't you sit down?" Lotion suggested. "Don't your feet need to rest from all that standing these past few hours?"

To Lotion's surprise, Ryuku silently walked over to take the seat across from her.

Lotion couldn't help but notice the girl's uneasiness.

"Lotion," Ryuku paused "… I just wanted to thank you for the other day. You really helped me out."

"It was no problem," Lotion replied with a small smile. "I'm just glad everything turned out alright in the end."

Ryuku nodded "Yeah."

A brief awkward silence loomed in the air. Lotion took a tentative sip from her cup of milk. The warmth spread through her whole body, making her feel rather tired. She yawned pretending to show genuine new interest in her co-worker's damaged hands.

"Oh!" Lotion clasped her hand over her mouth. "May I ask why your hands are bandaged?"

Ryuku followed Lotion's gaze to her hands. She struggled to think of a reasonable response; however, her mind drew a complete blank. "How about we don't talk about it?"

"If you don't want to talk about it, then that's fine with me."

Ryuku's face fell. Usually, the Amazon was rather noisy with her business. "Is that so?"

"It sure is!"

Neither of them continued to further the conversation after that. Lotion lifted her cup back to her lips, she looked over the cup as she took another sip, and saw Ryuku start to fix her bandages.

She set the cup down on the table with a soft thud. "If you like, I could help you start up the arts again," she offered. "Of course, Amazons tend to fight differently, but that doesn't mean we can't compromise a little."

Ryuku kept her gaze on her hand. "I don't need any help."

"It wouldn't be forever, Ryuku," Lotion assured her. "You stopped training years ago. I just want to help you out."

"I think I'm going to end my break a few minutes early." Ryuku announced. She excused herself from the table, and abruptly left the kitchen.

Lotion drank the rest of her milk in solitude. Unaware, her mother had entered the room and approached her. Shampoo clasped the top of the chair Ryuku had vacated and waited for her daughter to take notice. Lotion had expected her mother to come by with the intent of bringing up more husband business. She knew that these husband talks would never stop, despite everything that happened several days prior.

The silence in the room was broken when Shampoo asked in her mother language. "Is there a reason why your husband left his break so early?"

Lotion shrugged. "He just felt like working all of a sudden. Shouldn't that be a good thing?"

Not amused with Lotion's sarcastic remark, Shampoo retorted. "That _is_ good. At least he's actually useful. I wish I could say for my daughter."

"Was there something you needed mother?" Lotion asked, doing her best to keep the snootiness from her tone.

"Yes," was her mother's simple answer. Shampoo pulled the chair back and took a seat. She clasped her hands in front of her, placing her chin atop her interlocked fingers, and a serene smile played across her lips. "Would you like to return home, Lotion?"

Unsure of what her mother was plotting with such an out of place inquiry, Lotion was hesitant with her answer. After much cautious thought, she replied. "… I would like to come back home, mother."

"That's good to hear," Shampoo said, looking very pleased. "All you have to do is tell me about your earlier conversation with Ryuku."

"Why do you need to know about a thing like that?"

"You can't blame your mother for being curious," Shampoo informed, in a playful teasing tone. Her behavior made Lotion uneasy. "My daughter all alone in a room with a boy… just about anything can happen."

Her mother cared to address something like this now? Why was she even asking about this when it was her idea to spend their breaks together?

"Nothing happened," Lotion stated firmly. "How could anything happen during a fifteen minute break?"

"Do you want to come home or not, Lotion?" her mother spat, her smile turning into a nasty frown. "All I asked you to do was answer a simple question. Is that too much to ask? Do you enjoy being apart from your family?"

"Ryuku," Lotion gritted out reluctantly. "He's started training again." She glanced up at her mother, expecting to see her satisfied with her answer, but instead was puzzled by the surprise on her mother's face.

"You mean that boy's still bothering to try martial arts?" her mother questioned, sounding baffled.

"I don't understand," Lotion frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

Shampoo's was quick to recover from her shock. "You never learned why he went to the hospital?" she asked. "How could you not know this? Don't you know your husband better than that?"

Lotion glanced over to the side to avoid the displeased stare her mother was giving her. "… He didn't tell me a single thing."

"He was beaten up by that Hibiki boy," Shampoo saw the disbelief in her daughter's eyes. She raised an eyebrow, curious to see what was on Lotion's mind. "What is on your mind?"

"I don't believe you," Lotion said. "Ryou would never do such a thing to his own friend."

Shampoo laughed at the thought of Ryou having any talent was humorous. "No. Not that one, the younger one."

Lotion sighed in relief. "I can't believe Ryuku kept something like that to himself."

"It's too late for you to show sadness," Shampoo scoffed. "He's better now is he not?"

"Mother, how can you say such a heartless thing?"

"We're done talking about the past," Shampoo said. "I'd rather we speak of more important matters."

"What sort of important matters?"

Shampoo clucked her tongue at her daughter's stupidity. "I know, you're perfectly aware of the Amazon laws, especially the ones involving marriage," she paused, unclasping her hands to reach out to take hold of Lotion's hand. "If what you have said about Ryuku is true, don't you think it's time you asked for a little… _sparring match?_"

Lotion jerked her hand away from her mother's. "My break just ended," she informed her, hiding her disgust. "I better get back to work."

There were several things that Lotion had kept from her mother. But the one thing she'd never tell her was that she had already fought Ryuku before.

_It was a short fight. _

_Both parties weren't as strong as they believed they were and at their young age they only had so much experience to show. Gracelessly, Lotion fell on her butt startled from the light hit to the gut she received from the boy's foot. Lotion glared up at him, not in anger or in resentment, but from losing from such a simple move. _

"_You got lucky." She pouted._

"_Girls always were sore losers," he teased, extending his hand out in front of her. _

_Lotion gazed down at his offered hand. She smiled despite herself and accepted it. The boy pulled her up onto her feet and let go of her hand to fetch his things. _

"_Why'd you buy that necklace anyway?"_

"… _Oh," the boy said a blush on his cheeks. "It's for… someone."_

_She raised her eyebrow at that. How suspicious. "Someone?" she repeated. "Would that someone be a girl?"_

"_Could you get out of here?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be crawling back to your mother in shame that you lost to a boy?"_

"_I can do that later," Lotion said. "I'm going to come with you. I want to see the poor girl that's going to get that necklace."_

With a plastered cheerful smile that Lotion reserved for work, she handed the final customer their change. "Hope you enjoyed your meal! Have a happy evening!"

She escorted the customer to the door giving them a warm smile. The chimes rang pleasantly to her ears as she closed the door. She flipped the sign as she locked the door. Lotion went to grab a broom from the supply closet to fetch a broom and abruptly began to start cleaning.

As she swept, Ryuku walked out to the main area now in male form. He was adorned in casual wear, with his schoolbag on his back and his hand holding onto the strap of his duffle bag.

Lotion greeted the red head with a smile. "Oh, Ryuku, you're still here?"

"I was just finishing up the last set of dishes."

"Well, I already locked up," Lotion said. "You can leave through the back."

Ryuku nodded and told her goodnight. However, as thoughts lingered in her mind, Lotion called after the red head.

"What is it?" Ryuku asked.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"I'm not walking you home if that's what your question is."

Lotion laughed. "No, that's not what I wanted to ask."

"What do you want? I don't have all night."

There were questions swarming in her mind in no particular order. She knew she had to choose wisely, she only had one shot. Lotion opened her mouth, thinking she finally figured out the perfect thing to say, and began to speak.

"Do you remember…" she choked on her words, fearing the answer. Lotion decided that she didn't want to hear the answer after all. She felt that she was the only one who cared about their childhood experience together, and knew it would hurt her if he didn't care.

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at her. "Do I remember what?"

"Do you remember when the festival is this year?"

Ryuku's facial expression contorted to one of confusion. "Why would I know that?"

"I was thinking about going this year," she lied, successfully branching her original thought. "Would you like to go with me? It could be like a date!"

"I'd rather not," Ryuku snorted. "I have a feeling I'd be busy working here that day anyway."

"You're right! What was I thinking?" Lotion faked a giggle. "I should let you go. Get home safely for me, ok?"

Ryuku nodded, leaving Lotion with the sound of the back door slamming. Loneliness crept throughout the atmosphere, touching everything in its domain, Lotion included.

* * *

Lock picking wasn't a skill that Lotion was particularly proud of but it did have it quirks. Crouched in front of her parent's apartment door, Lotion quickly went to work. Like a pianist, whose notes flowed likes a calm creek, the door swung open.

She wasted no time soundlessly rushing to her bedroom. Her room was dark and felt more spacious than she was used to. She concluded that her mother had begun to clear her belongings out. Blindly looking for her dresser, she finally stumbled upon it.

She reached for her mini flashlight, clicking it on and placed it between her lips. In a hurried pace, Lotion rummaged through her belongings.

It was in the bottom drawer, shoved into a corner between her shorts and blouses. Lotion pulled out an antique wooden jewelry box. It was simple but very beautiful at the same time, the same thing she felt her great-great grandmother could've been like at her age. With a quick flick of her fingers, she unlocked the latch, and opened the box.

She didn't own much jewelry, but its contents were far more precious to her than any jewels; it contained her happiest of memories. Aside from photographs, ancient calligraphy from her great-great grandmother, her father's old pair of chipped glasses, but what she was looking for was absent among the belongings.

Seeing that it wasn't there, she poured the contents onto the floor, and decided to double check. But the attempt was met with the same result. Dismayed, she decided to check the other rooms, before jumping to conclusions.

The apartment had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The largest room belonged to her mother, the second largest room to her father, and the smallest room to her. Lotion crept past her father's room, as usual the door was shut and due to the late hour, he was probably asleep.

Lotion took a deep breath holding it for a few moments before slowly exhaling to calm herself, knowing if she were caught the consequences would be unbearable.

Noticing the door was locked, she disengaged it with little to no effort. She crept inside her mother's bedroom, aware of the bed's positioning, it was impossible to tell where she was unless you were inside the room. Her mother lain on her side with her back towards the door. She had no choice but to assume that her mother was asleep, since she was as quiet as kitten while she slept.

Silently, Lotion headed for the china cabinet. She hesitantly opened the cabinet, knowing that even slightest sound would wake up her mother. In the center was a jade jewelry box accented by the surrounding expensive china and silverware, which failed to match the radiance of the box.

The jewelry box was almost identical to the one given to her by her great-great grandmother, the only difference was the jade and it's much larger size. Cautious, Lotion stole a quick glance towards her mother. She doubted she could have it. Why would she? It was a ridiculous thought, but one that was fully valid. She opened the box and began her search.

_They continued to follow the dirt path for what seemed like forever. Neither of them had the ability to track time, but Lotion didn't mind the detour. As much as she wished she was with her mother, it wasn't very often that she'd be allowed to leave the apartment. _

_It was the same schedule every day. Her mother would wake her up at approximately five o'clock in the morning, and spend at least fifteen minutes brushing her hair and setting it all in place. After that it was time to train. Training would last for a little over an hour, sometimes less if Lotion didn't make too many mistakes or if she kept her hair in pristine condition. _

_Right after practice, Lotion was required to clean herself up, before her teacher arrived at the apartment. Her mother was adamant at not letting her daughter be taught at a public school. Instead, Lotion was taught by a Chinese teacher, who helped her brush up Chinese as well as Amazon culture. Teaching was what lasted the most throughout the day. At home, it'd just be her and her teacher. Her mother would be off at the restaurant, while her father was off doing who knows what._

_Lotion was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the boy had stopped walking. Due to that she bumped into him. "Why'd you stop moving?" she asked quizzically. _

_The boy was gazing at a spot, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Forget it."_

"_Forget what?" she pushed past him, and looked up ahead to see what she assumed to be a young couple. The two were sitting next to each other on the grass. The boyfriend had his arm around his girlfriend, while she rested her head on his shoulder. "Is that the girl that you like?"_

_He forced her to turn towards him to thrust the necklace in front of her face. "Here. Just take it."_

"_But—"_

"_Don't worry about it," he told her firmly. "Come on. Let's go back to the festival."_

_She followed after him, all the while staring down at the necklace in her hands. "Are you sure I can keep this?"_

"_I wouldn't have given it to you if I didn't want you to take it."_

"_But what about that girl you wanted to give this to?"_

_Suddenly, the boy stopped and whipped around to face Lotion. There was a grin on his face. "Hey, I have an idea." He broke into a sprint, ignoring the shout of protest from the girl behind him, and ran to the festival grounds nearby._

_When Lotion finally caught up to the boy, she found him kneeling in front of the fish tank at the booth she was at earlier. She knelt down next to him, staring at all the small colorful fish that swam around in the tank. _

_The boy turned to Lotion, grin still set on his lip. "I bet I can get one of those fishes." He boasted. _

_Lotion scoffed. "No, you can't. It's rigged so no one can win anything."_

_He seemed to ignore her comment, as he still appeared to be as confident as ever. "Pick whatever fish you want," he told her. "I'll get it for you."_

_Lotion skimmed the selection of fish before her. Her eyes searched and eventually found the biggest fish. She pointed at it with a cocky smile. "He wouldn't be able to catch it," she thought to herself. _

"_If you can't get me that fish," Lotion prompted. "I'm telling everyone, you know, that you lost to a girl."_

_His grin turned into a confident one. "You're on!"_

"Are you looking for something?"

The sound of her mother's voice disrupted her daydream. Behind her, Lotion heard the lamp being switched on. Slowly, she turned around to face her mother. The small amount of light the lamp provided only shone on her mother, who was now sitting up on her bed. Her hand was holding onto the pendant of the necklace she wore around her neck. With her empty hand, Shampoo beckoned her daughter to join her.

Hesitantly, Lotion went to take a seat on the edge of the mattress. Her mother was good at hiding her anger, which was why Lotion was not completely at ease. Lotion's eyes locked onto her mother's closed hand, wondering of its contents.

With an amused chuckle, Shampoo paraded her daughter's beloved necklace. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Shampoo reached a hand behind her neck to unhook the chain, teasingly dangled the jewelry in front of her daughter. Lotion grabbed for it, however, her mother yanked it out of her reach at the last second.

"Why is this so important?" her mother asked, as she looked over the necklace with unimpressed eyes. "It's so… old and worthless. The jewels aren't even genuine. I could probably crush this only using my hand." She wrapped the pendant up with her hand and gestured to do as she said.

Lotion fidgeted angrily. "Did you take that from my room?"

Shampoo gave her a cold sneer. "Why should I answer you? You were the one who broke in. I should've called the police."

"That doesn't belong to you, mother," Lotion hissed, ignoring her mother's threats. "I want it back."

"You want it so badly, my dear daughter?" Shampoo asked. "This makes me want to crush it even more, like you crushed my trust in you!"

"M-mother you wouldn't!"

"Aside, from your manners, I believe I raised you well."

Lotion held in a retort.

"I'll return this trash that seems so important to you," Shampoo promised. "But first you must do something for me."

"What?" Lotion asked. "What is it?"

"I want you to engage your husband."

"It wouldn't be a fair fight, mother, he's still so—"

Shampoo cut her off with an amused laugh. "_Fair?_ All I want you to do is lose."

"I-I can't do that!" Lotion exclaimed.

"Do you want this necklace or not?" Shampoo didn't wait for an answer and finished. "Then do as your mother tells you."

* * *

_Lotion watched the fish try to swim around in the confinements of the plastic bag. Using her thumb and index finger, she held onto the pendant of the necklace she around her neck. "You know," she said. "You never told me your name."_

_For the first time in the entire night she had met him, they were walking side by side. They had left the festival awhile ago and were now walking through a neighborhood. Next to her, the boy was fiddling around with a cheap slingshot he had won at one of the booths. As ammo, he used candy wrappers along with the candy he didn't like. _

"_You never told me yours," he returned. He aimed the slingshot at a streetlight and shot at it. The candy bounced off the metal with a loud clang as it collided. "So, I guess we're even."_

_Lotion scoffed. "Fine, if you wanna play like that," she waited for him to find another target. He carefully aimed the slingshot. The moment as he released the projectile, Lotion ran off to catch the candy before it met its target. She had hopped on top of the fence lining the sidewalk, with a smug grin glanced down at the boy, who gawked at her with amazement. "My name's Lotion."_

_She tossed the candy back at the boy, who caught it with ease. The astonishment didn't last very long, because it wasn't long before a bark of laughter escaped the boy._

"_Lotion?" he echoed, amused. "Never met anyone with a name like that."_

"_I'm an Amazon," she informed him matter-of-factly. "We usually try to be unique with everything we do."_

_As they continued walking, Lotion remained on top of the fence, while balancing the plastic bag on top of her head. She flashed a grin at the boy, who was walking near the fence. When she looked away, something hit the plastic bag off of her head. Lotion squealed, luckily catching the bag before it met demise to the canal filled with water below._

"_What was that for!" Lotion exclaimed._

_Next, he took a shot at the fence, making it rattle slightly. Lotion barked at him in Chinese. _

"_Wow!" he whistled. "I'm impressed you haven't fallen off yet!"_

_Lotion scowled. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"_

"_Ryuku."_

_She stared at him, confused. "What kind of compliment is that?"_

"_No, stupid," he rolled his eyes. "That's my name. Ryuku Saotome."_

_For some reason, the name sounded familiar._

* * *

"Look at this, Ryuku! Look what I got!" Misaki held a small fish bowl in front of her cousin.

Ryuku bent over to look at the angel fish swimming about in its container. "You should probably get a bigger tank. It looks cramped in there. I feel bad for the little guy."

Misaki stuck out her tongue. "I know that, Ryuku! Dad left awhile ago to get a bigger tank. He's planning on putting on an aquarium to liven up the office! Tomorrow he's taking me with him to get even more fish!"

The red head smiled at Misaki's enthusiasm. It seemed like his cousin was finally crawling out of her shell. "That sounds great, Misaki!"

"Mommy's making us some snacks, I'll be right back. Can you watch Ryoko for me?"

Ryuku made a face. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

Misaki simply smiled and held the fish bowl out, waiting for her cousin to take it from her. Ryuku watched the angel fish swim around. For some reason, it felt familiar. He couldn't place a finger on it. Ryuku spent at least a half an hour at the clinic, before it was time for him to leave for work.

On his way to the Cat Café, he heard the chiming of a bicycle bell. It wasn't long before Lotion wheeled up next to him on her bike. She greeted him with a cheerful message, which he was reluctant to return.

"Since we're both going the same way," Lotion said. "Why don't we head back to the restaurant together?"

As they approached closer to the Cat Café, Lotion suddenly stopped and stepped in front of Ryuku.

He stared down at her face with an eyebrow raised. "What?"

An uneasy smile fell on her lips. "Do you, um, remember this?" she reached insider her blouse and took out a necklace.

Mildly uninterested, Ryuku looked over the jewelry. "Yeah, I do," he answered. "What about it?"

"I want you to have it," she told him. "It was yours to begin with. You should take it back."

"After all this time you've decided _now_ to give it back to me?"

"It's the thought that counts?"

"I'm surprised you still have that thing. It got really ugly looking, huh?" but regardless of his comment, he stared at the necklace with a fond smile.

"Here. Take it."

He shook his head. "No, it's yours. I gave it to you for a reason."

"You still like her, don't you?" Lotion asked. "You can still give this to her."

"… Keep it." was all he said.

* * *

There was this nagging feeling that someone was following him. Ryuku had left the Cat Café not too long ago, and was on his way home, but ever since he turned a corner it felt as if something was trailing after him. Finally fed up after several minutes, he stopped, and scoped his surroundings. No one was there. He frowned, but continued on his way home nonetheless.

This nagging feeling went on for blocks. Once again, Ryuku came to a stop, only this time when he heard the faint sound of footsteps.

He narrowed his eyes as he skimmed through the darkness around him. "Who's there?"

"You forgot this back at the restaurant," Lotion announced, walking out into the streetlights with the blouse to his uniform in her hand. The young Amazon usually wore the uniform to the Cat Café for most of the day, but she stood in front of Ryuku wearing a loose long sleeved shirt and baggy pants.

Ryuku blinked. If Lotion had been the one to follow him why hadn't she made herself known earlier? He ignored the suspicion. But there was another thing that bugged him. He could've sworn he tucked the blouse away along with the rest of his stuff.

"… Thanks?"

Without warning, Ryuku was enveloped into a tight hug. Lotion rested her chin against his chest, gazing up at him sadly.

Ryuku stiffened into her hold. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Ryuku."

"Wha—"

He was caught off guard by the punch to the gut that sent him sailing back a few feet. With a pained grunt, he held onto his stomach in both surprise and pain. He didn't bother to hide his wince as he touched the throbbing spot.

"Lotion!" he hissed out through clenched teeth. "Is there a good reason why you just _punched_ me?"

The girl in question remained silent. She charged forward ready to land another punch on the red head.

"_Shit!_ What's gotten into you?" he exclaimed, as he jumped away from her before another hit could land on him.

"Shouldn't it be obvious, Ryu?" she asked. "This is a fight. What else do you think this could be?"

Ryuku stared at her. "I don't…" he still couldn't wrap his head around what just happened. Lotion never acted this way. "I already told you I didn't need any help from you."

"I'm not helping you with anything," she assured the red head. She ran forward and swung her arm forward. "This is just a fight."

"Even if I did want to fight, which I don't," Ryuku managed to say as he barely dodged another attack. "I don't hit girls!"

Lotion dropped her fist. "That's alright," she said, nodding her head a little. "I knew you'd say that, just like you said before when we were kids, which is why I came prepared this time."

Out of nowhere, she produced a small thermostat. Ryuku gaped at her. How was a thing like that even possible? In a flash, Lotion appeared in front of him, the thermostat in her hand with its top open. Fortunately, Ryuku missed the splash of cold water in the nick of time.

Lotion dropped the empty container onto the ground. "It's ok," she said. "I won't miss the next time."

Once again, Lotion brought out a bag. It appeared she had done this in thin air. Lotion slung the bag over her shoulder, reached both of her hands inside, and took out four water bottles. She squeezed enough for the bottle caps to pop off and swung them towards Ryuku.

Ryuku dodged the oncoming water with minimal difficulty. The bag Lotion had seemed to be filled with endless amount of water bottles. Ryuku was just wasting his energy trying to move out of the water's path. If it kept going on like this, Ryuku wasn't sure what Lotion would do after she accomplished on getting him into his girl form. Ryuku glanced in the direction where Lotion last was, only to find that the girl had vanished.

He felt the sensation of cold water splash onto his back. It didn't surprise him or the he-turned-to-she. Seeing no way to talk sense into the Amazon, Ryuku tossed her things to the side. She turned to face her, only to realize that he could not anticipate her very next move. Suddenly, Ryuku became aware of the hard kick onto her back. She stumbled forward and fell onto the concrete. Quickly, Ryuku jumped onto her feet, and with a bit of hesitation on her part swung a punch towards Lotion.

Lotion took a deep breath. She purposefully went into the direction Ryuku swung to let the hit collide into her side. From the surprised look on Ryuku's face, it was clear that she hadn't expected her punch to actually land. Lotion held onto her side, it just did enough that pain began to emerge slowly, but it wasn't hard enough to cause any bruising.

"I'm sorry," Ryuku said in a rush. She went to Lotion's side but Lotion roughly shoved her away.

"I can handle a measly little punch," Lotion spat. "Stop acting like a girl!"

Ryuku was taken aback by Lotion's outburst. She frowned, but didn't say anything. Lotion did a number a punches and kicks, most of them hitting Ryuku, who seemed to be reluctant to participate in their impromptu duel.

"Why _are_ we doing this, Lotion?" Ryuku asked, seemingly shrugging off the barrage of attacks.

"If you're able to run your mouth," Lotion growled. "Then you should be able to pack a punch!"

"I don't care if I'm a girl right now," Ryuku snapped back. "I'm not going to fight you, Lotion."

Lotion turned away from her, she clasped at the front of her shirt as she tried to hold back her tears. "So, you're willing to make an exception for someone else but not me?"

"Lotion—"

"… You're being stubborn just because I'm not a male?" Lotion asked, feigning frustration. "W-what…" she paused to clear her throat. "What if I was Ryou's younger brother? Would you make an exception for me then?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Ryou's sibling fought you," Lotion slowly explained, her back still facing Ryuku. "How is fighting a girl any different from fighting a child?"

"That's stupid!" Ryuku shouted, angrily. "Don't compare this situation to that one, because it'll never be the same!"

"Are you… scared of losing again?"

"Why the hell—"

"Isn't that why you were at the hospital?" Lotion felt tears running down her cheeks. "… because you were beaten by a child? If you can't beat a child, what makes you think you can beat a woman? _Wont your masculinity be at stake?_"

Quickly, Lotion wiped her face clean, before she turned to face Ryuku. She had her head lowered, while her shoulders shook, and her hands were clenched into tight fists.

Ryuku's jaw clenched. "I never expected to hear this kind of shit from you, Lotion. Sure, you get on my nerves, but…" she glared at her through her bangs. "That was way too far."

"It only hurts, because I'm telling you the truth."

"Yeah, the truth," Ryuku yelled, her hands clenched into shaking fists. "Well, no one likes hearing the truth!"

Lotion tackled Ryuku onto the ground, holding back her tears. Ryuku let out a pained grunt from Lotion landing on top of her. Lotion lifted herself up, placed her hands at the sides of Ryuku's head, and stared down at her. Ryuku prepared to get her away from her, but stopped when he felt something drip onto her cheek. It was a teardrop.

"… Lotion?" Ryuku asked in confusion.

Tears streamed down Lotion's cheeks as she stared down at Ryuku. "I-I can't do this anymore," she choked out. "I'm so s-sorry, Ryuku. You shouldn't have to deal with this. No one should."

"Lotion, I don't understand," she started, trying to gain a calm sense of mind. "You can't just say all that stuff without explaining what the hell's going on!"

"I'm sorry," she chanted over and over again. She hugged the girl underneath her, letting out a loud hiccup, before she pulled herself off of her. "I-I need to go. Please. I. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, I just, I…"

"Wait, Lotion, slow down," Ryuku said. "What just happened?"

She shook her head, pushing Ryuku's hands away from her, and ran off.

* * *

_The last place she had expected to see her mother was the boy's house. Her mother was currently engaged in a rather heated conversation with a woman, who looked very frustrated. The boy, or Ryuku, was peering over the side of the wooden gate. He shared a look with Lotion, before glancing back over to the two adults._

"_Why is my mom talking to your mom?" he asked curiously._

"_I don't know."_

"_Should we let them know we're here?" Ryuku suggested. _

_Lotion nodded her head. "You go first. My mama's probably mad at me."_

"_Wimp," Ryuku grumbled, as he took a step forward._

_With a pout, she playfully hit him on the back, using more force than necessary, and made him stumble a few steps forward._

"_Sorry!" Lotion whispered._

_He threw a glare over his shoulder. "Girls," he mumbled. "Well, don't just stare at me. Come on. Don't you wanna say 'hi' to your _mama_?" _

_The two glanced back over to the adults. Suddenly, the boy's mother swung her fist at her mother. Lotion didn't even flinch, as the fist neared her mother's smirking face. Her mother easily caught the fist; she said a few words to the other woman, before she carelessly tossed her aside. _

_The boy gasped. Lotion grabbed at him as he began to dash towards his mother, however, suddenly she was falling forward and the plastic bag was no longer in her hands. As Lotion landed on the ground with a grunt, she watched as the plastic bag followed after Ryuku. The plastic bag met the back of Ryuku's head, knocking off his cap onto the dirt. Before Lotion's eyes Ryuku's hair changed from a fiery red to a dark black in a matter of seconds, and his body shrunk as the clothes as his small frame became baggier._

_Furiously, Ryuku snatched the fish out of his hair and threw it on the ground. He glared at Lotion, who noticed that his eye color seemed to change as well._

"_Clumsy!" he shouted, his voice sounding higher in pitch. He stomped his way over to her and yanked her up onto her feet. Lotion leaned in close to him to take in every little detail on his face. "What are you doing?"_

"… _You look different," she murmured. She touched his cheek. "You're—"_

"_Ryuku!" a voice cried._

_Suddenly, he was yanked out of Lotion's vision. Lotion saw his mother kneeling in front of him while she fussed over him. "Where have you been? Megumi came to my house in tears! I told you to never leave her side!"_

_Interrupting the two, her mother sauntered behind the woman. "Violent girl," she stopped to briefly look over Ryuku. "You will learn. Shampoo always right."_

"_Get out of here!" Ryuku's mother hissed. "I don't ever want to see you set foot at this dojo again! If you do I'll—"_

"_What can _you_ do?" she snickered. "You never beat Shampoo in fight. Never will. Come Lotion we leave now."_

_As Lotion's led away from the dojo, Lotion stared after Ryuku. She wondered if she'd ever see him again._

* * *

_Her mother held onto her hand with a loose grip. Lotion tugged at her sleeve, and waited a beat before she worriedly asked. "Are you mad at me, mama?"_

"_Why would I be mad at you?" her mother asked in return. "Did you do something wrong?"_

"_I didn't listen to you," Lotion said. "A-at the festival, I didn't stay where I was supposed to."_

"_Lotion," her mother glanced down at her. "Tell your mother about your future husband." _

_Lotion didn't mind the subject change. This was the same conversation they talked about every day, ever since the first day they moved to Nerima. Lotion made sure to memorize every little thing her mother told her. That way the next time they had this talk she'd be prepared. _

"_We were fated to be married ever since we were both born," Lotion cited, she continued when she received a satisfied nod from her mother. "We're the perfect match, and the arts we know will help create strong children for us. He'll love me, and only me, and I'll love him and no one else."_

"_That's very good, Lotion," Shampoo beamed. "But what else are you forgetting? What's the most important part?"_

"_That our love will be so strong," Lotion said. "That not even Akane Tendo can tear us apart."_

"_Do you want to know something, Lotion, something that will make you very happy?"_

"_What is it, mama?"_

"_You've met your husband."_

"… _I have?"_

"_Yes, Lotion," her mother grinned. "That boy you were with. He's the one you've been waiting for."_

"… _Him?"_

"_Yes, Lotion."_

"… _He's like me," she murmured. "He changes."_

"_You two were made for each other."_

* * *

Shampoo shut the door behind her as she stood in her daughter's room. It was dark, save for the moonlight shining through the window. Her daughter was laying on her bed, with her arms crossed over her pillow, and her head resting on top of them. The sounds of her whimpers and sniffles filled the room. Shampoo slipped on a concerned mask, as she took a seat next to her daughter.

She placed a hand on the small of her back. "Are you alright, Lotion?"

"Do you even really care?" Lotion bit out through. "I know why you're here, mother."

"Then tell me what happened."

"… I didn't win," she didn't have to see her mother's face to know that she was now wearing a smile. "But I didn't lose either."

"_What?_"

"I ran away," Lotion said, lifting her head up to give her mother a smirk. "Tell me, mother, is there an Amazon rule for forfeiting a fight?"

Shampoo slapped her. "You ran away?" she snarled. "Like a coward! Amazons don't run away!"

"Well, I did," she said. "Are you going to kick me out again?"

"… No."

Lotion's face fell. "Y-You're not?"

Her mother shook her head. "No, I'm not. You can stay here, Lotion," she moved her hand up to the middle of Lotion's back. "It's late. You should sleep."

"… Alright."

Lotion tensed when her mother began to message her back. "I'm only loosening your muscles. Just relax, ok?"

She tried to reject the offer, but the way her mother worked out the knots on her back made her felt less tense. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, and abruptly fell asleep. Shampoo narrowed her eyes, mumbling something under her breath in Chinese.

* * *

_No matter how many times she changed, she still couldn't get used to how big everything was when she was a kitten. Lotion had just completed her first delivery, her mother had finally trusted her with such a task, and she ruined her mother's expectations already. She hadn't seen the woman splashing water on the sidewalk, as she zoomed by on her little purple bike. The change triggered so fast, that she almost crashed along with her bike into the steel pole. _

_Lotion was fortunate that she had this accident happen in the middle of a secluded area. If this had happened in the market place, she surely would've been trampled a long time ago. She was having difficulty on finding the way back to the restaurant. Her delivery was made about fifteen minutes ago, and at this rate, her mother was probably becoming furious by her tardiness._

_She turned left at the street corner, which would lead her to a bridge, and found much to her surprise a boy. It was that same boy that she had met at the festival. In his arms he was holding onto a paper bag. On top of his head was the cap he had worn that same night. The hat was pulled low, so low that Lotion doubted he'd notice her. In this form she was such a tiny little thing. _

_However, to her surprise, his blue eyes were staring right at her. He stopped and continued to stare at her for several seconds, before he placed the paper bag down onto the concrete and knelt down on one knee. There was a smile on his lips. It was the nicest smile. _

_He reached a hand out towards her. "Hey, there." he greeted her. _

_He took his hand back, a look of realization on his face, and then dug around in the bag. A box of snacks was in his hand. He tore the box top open, along with the bag inside, and poured a handful of the food onto his palm. _

"_You hungry?" he asked. "These are pretty good. My cat Seichi likes 'em."_

_Lotion stayed where she was. _

_Shouldn't she be running back to the restaurant, instead of playing around with this boy? But if he was her husband, would this still be considered as playing around? Lotion couldn't confirm this with her mother. She looked up into his eyes. They were so kind, so warm. _

_Her body reacted faster than her mind, and she walked over to him to pick one of the snacks into her mouth. When she glanced back up, he had the biggest grin on. _

"_Good, huh?" he said, cheerfully. As Lotion picked up another and another, she was startled when she felt a hand start to pet her fur. She purred, in both surprise and pleasure, and suddenly the boy paused with his petting. "Oh?" he said, petting around her neck. "You're a stray."_

"_Ryuku!" _

_They both turned to see his mother walking up to them. She was carrying several paper bags, while dragging a large bag of rice behind her. When she was behind her son, she shot him a displeased frown. _

"_When I said you could go ahead of me, that didn't mean it was okay for you to ditch me!" _

_He turned away from her and resumed petting Lotion. "I wasn't going that fast."_

"_You ran off!" she cried. "I called after you and you kept running anyway! Ryuku, can you please look at me when I talk to you?"_

_He shrugged. "Can you please walk faster next time?"_

_His mother sighed. "Well, I caught up," she said. "Let's get going." When he wouldn't budge, she peered over her son's head to see what he was so fascinated with. "… Is it a stray?"_

"She_ doesn't have a collar."_

"_Ryuku, you already have a cat waiting for you at home."_

"_She's just a kitten. She's totally helpless," he scooped Lotion up in his arms, and faced his mother. "Look at her, mom."_

_His mother looked down at her. A tired frown was on her lips. "… Alright," she said. "But she's your responsibility."_

_He just nodded his head, and went to pick up the paper bag. As the two walked on their way home, he kept his attention solely on her. He stared into her eyes. It felt he was looking right through her curse, as if he was looking at _her_, and only her. _

"_What should I name you?" he wondered. A thoughtful expression formed on his face. His eyes glanced up from her, and he stared up at the darkening sky. _

_A few seconds later: "… How about Megumi?" he tested out. Next, he let out an amused snort and then said. "Megumi would love that." _

_Lotion frowned. She couldn't help but wonder if he could tell that she wasn't happy. She gently pawed at his arm, hoping that was enough for him to get a hint. _

"_No?" he asked. "… How about Kirara?" he laughed when she shook her head. "Not an InuYasha fan?"_

_It took awhile for Lotion to finally settle with a name she liked. In the end, they settled with the name Sayo._


	11. Filler 2: Of Frilly Dresses & Afternoons

******Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

Hope everyone in the US had a Happy Fourth of July! And to everyone else who didn't have Independence Day I hope you all had a nice day as well! ;)

* * *

**Filler:** Of Frilly Dresses and a Lovely Afternoon

"It's not too late to turn back now." Ayano's mind perpetually pinned onto that thought nervously.

She left her house not too long ago on her way to the Saotome dojo. The constant thought of canceling today's plans nagged at her. Her mind played out several scenarios, none of which ended happily. Maybe her lack of confidence influenced the results, she thought to herself.

But as a precautionary measure, Ayano had told her father if she came home early to not let her back in the house unless she had a good reason. Her eyes were trained on her white and red striped slippers, occasionally looking up as to not bump into anything. She absentmindedly reached a hand up to a touch a lock of hair, which kept getting into her eyes. After having spent hours curling her hair, it just didn't want to keep itself tidy. A red purse was strapped around her shoulder, squeezing the straps between her nervously clenched fists.

Her purse was better than average, decorated with various types of flowers embroidered in gold colored silk thread. The bag matched well with her dress. The dress she was wearing was probably the best she had in her entire wardrobe, which wasn't saying much. Each sleeve of her dress was a pleasant shade of scarlet. The color scheme was snowy white patterned with large red roses.

She assumed that Ryuku's sister would probably be wearing something a little fancier yet still casual in a way. Ryoko was a pretty girl. She looked like she would be into dressing up on an outing. Ayano hoped Ryoko wouldn't mind how she looked.

* * *

The first few steps into the Saotome residence caused a sudden realization which made Ayano even more nervous. Not to mention she found out she was running a bit late but she couldn't back out now. Ryoko was probably already ready to go.

Other questions popped into her mind as she inched towards the front door. "What if she forgot about today?" she asked herself. "Or worse: what if she cancelled without telling me?"

Ayano shook her head, shaking all those pesky thoughts out. "Calm down," She whispered to herself. Yet, despite saying those two words, the tension still built within her.

After gathering what little courage she had, Ayano slowly lifted her hand up to ring the doorbell.

There was no turning back now.

Her index pressed against the doorbell, after a long while, the front door swung open.

Ayano hoped that anyone but Ryuku would answer the door, but there he was. She quickly chased away the look of surprise on her face, hoping that the red head didn't manage to see it. Considering how her luck was on a good day, which would be pretty bad for most people, this shouldn't have come as a shock to her.

Ryuku looked like he had just woken up. He was still in his pajamas bottoms and a loose fitting white tank top. His hair was heavily disheveled, he seemed to have trouble keeping his posture straight and his eyelids fluttered every few seconds or so. His face was obviously showing signs of grumpiness, most likely due to the "early" wakeup call.

It was only a little half past noon. On the weekends, Ayano was usually the first one up in the household, while it appeared that Ryuku was a late starter. Ayano couldn't help but wonder if the same thing applied to his sister.

"Good afternoon, Ryuku," she greeted meekly. "Is… um, Ryoko ready?"

Ryuku rubbed at one of his eyes with the back of his hand. "What," he paused to let out a long yawn. "What are you talking about?" he winced at the sunlight and used his hand as a temporary visor against the sun. Idly, he looked over her appearance. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"We were supposed to go shopping," Ayano quickly added just to better clarify things. "Well, I was supposed to shopping with your sister."

He let out a groan. "Oh, right, _right_," he sighed and rested his forehead against the doorframe. "You sure that was today?"

"Yes, but if you want," Ayano started uneasily. "I can come back another time—"

"No, you're already dressed up and you're here," he rationalized in a gruff voice. "Ryoko's… still asleep. I—she'll need to take a shower when she gets up. It'll be awhile till she's ready."

A small smile went on her lips. She was relieved. "I can wait."

Ryuku picked himself off the doorframe. "… Of course you can," he grumbled. He turned around to shuffle inside, but not before gesturing with his hands that it was alright for Ayano to come inside the house.

* * *

For the last fifteen minutes, Ayano nervously checked her cell phone every few seconds, unsure if she was supposed to do something or maybe help. She even considered the thought of asking Ryoko if she needed help getting ready. However, the house was rather large and she had no clue where Ryoko could be without assistance. Ayano frowned a little as another minute passed by.

Ryoko's house was definitely in need of a good cleaning. Of course, she would never tell her this. That'd be much too rude. But it was the truth. Despite the size of the room, the amount of trash easily reduced its usable space. There were small piles of trash in several areas, on the coffee table there was empty cups of ramen and other types of snacks, and dust seemed to be everywhere! Ayano fought the urge to wipe everything clean strongly.

"How could anyone live in this kind of condition?" Ayano thought, as she leaned over to look inside an empty bowl that was placed on the table in front of her. She shuddered in disgust to see there were noodles that must've been sitting there for weeks.

Her ears perked up, hearing the sounds of footsteps descending the flight of stairs. Ayano figured it was Mrs. or Mr. Saotome, Ryuku, or Ryoko. She hoped it was the latter. Ayano turned to see Ryoko at the bottom of the stairs. Ryoko's attire was rather simple. She wore a purple longed sleeve shirt that had a large heart printed on the center of it and a pair of black faded jeans. Ayano felt slightly overdressed, but there wasn't anything she could fix.

Ryoko was holding a small yellow towel in her hands, idly rubbing through her damp black locks. "Sorry, I took so long," she said. "I was working all night so I forgot to set my alarm when I got home."

"Oh!" Ayano said, as she got up to follow Ryoko, who was already at the front door. Ryoko plopped down onto the front and grabbed a pair of black slippers to put on.

"Is your brother going to be tagging along?"

"… He's sleeping."

"Maybe if it's not too much trouble you can ask him to…" she glanced over the room.

"To what?"

"To clean up a bit?" Ayano quietly answered.

Ryoko frowned. "I'll tell him when I get around to it."

"Should I not have said anything?" Ayano asked herself. She sighed it looked like she was already starting on a bad note. "Well, you look nice?"

Ryoko paused as she put on her right slipper. She glanced over her shoulder to look up at Ayano. "Uh, thanks," she blinked. "You… look nice too."

Ayano couldn't help but beam at the compliment. "Thank you!"

"Yeah," Ryoko said unenthusiastically. She got onto her feet and opened the door showing Ayano the way out. "I guess we better get going."

* * *

The dress was a plain white color. It was slimming yet elegant and had an overlapping Victorian frill design at the upper chest and at the hem. Ayano ran her fingertips over the fine material. She knew that she couldn't have found anything better, it was perfect. With a smile, she lifted the dressed up by the hanger, and went to find her shopping buddy.

Ayano found Ryoko searching through a clothes rack. "What do you think?" Ayano asked as she held the dress up in front of her.

Ryoko gave the dress a quick glance over. "… It's nice."

"Do you like it?"

Slowly, Ryoko nodded. "Sure."

"That's great! I think this'd look wonderful on you," Ayano chirped merrily. She held out the dress in front of Ryoko, waiting patiently for her to take it.

"… I can't wear that."

Ayano's smile drooped. "Why not?" she asked curiously, she was slightly disappointed with Ryoko's answer. "Should I get you another dress instead?"

"I thought all we were going to do was…" she paused, her lips curled into a light frown. "Look."

"We are," Ayano agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't try some clothes on. Won't you please wear it? I couldn't possibly pull a dress like this off."

Ryoko stared at the dress. "It'd look much better on you," she insisted. "I know it will."

"How about you pick something else for me to wear instead?"

Ryoko ignored her last statement, too focused on thought of having a dress on her body. "Look, I just _can't_ wear that. I don't want to wear that… thing."

Ayano looked over the tag. "… Did I get it in the wrong size?"

"Are you stupid?" Ryoko blurted out irritably, before she could stop herself. "If I wear that than my masc—" abruptly, she shut her mouth.

"What?" Ayano blinked. "What were you going to—"

"ara, my mascara might get ruined," she cut in firmly. Confusion still lingered on Ayano's face. "What?"

"… Ok. I understand. I don't want to force you into wearing this if you don't want to," Ayano told her with a sad smile. "I didn't mean to upset you, Ryoko. Wait here while I put this back."

"W-wait a second," Ryoko mumbled, placing her hand over Ayano's shoulder. She removed her hand when Ayano glanced at her. "Let me see the… _dress_ again."

Like she had done earlier, Ayano held the dress up. Ryoko bit at her thumbnail in thought while her eyebrows furrowed. She seemed to be in deep thought.

Finally, with an exasperated huff, Ryoko took the dress from her. "I'll," a smile went on her lips. Ayano couldn't tell that it was forced. "I think I'll wear it after all."

"Really?" If Ayano was trying to hide her excitement, she was doing a horrible job of doing so.

"I just said I would, didn't I?" Ryoko grunted. "Just hurry up before I change my mind."

Ayano vigorously nodded her head. "Of course!" she said. "The changing rooms are this way."

* * *

Bouncing with anticipation, Ayano sat onto a stool on the other side of Ryoko's changing stall, waiting for the girl to finish putting on the dress. A sale's woman came up to Ayano, holding a pair of white low heeled shoes in her hand. Ayano would surprise Ryoko with these when she came out. She was sure the shoes would go amazing with the dress.

"Were these the ones you had in mind?" the sale's woman asked, displaying the shoes on her palm.

Ayano looked them over. The heels were opened toed with light yellow bows on the top. "Yes, thank you so much."

"Ok, I'm ready," Ryoko grumbled from the other side of the stall. "You're not allowed to take any pictures, got it?"

A few seconds later the curtains were pushed aside, revealing a scowling Ryoko, who had an embarrassed flush on her cheeks. Ryoko had her arms crossed her chest, as she avoided Ayano's gaze.

Ayano clapped her hands together in delight. "You look amazing! I knew that dress would be perfect on you!" she hopped onto her feet and thrust the heels towards Ryoko, who simply stared at them. "I thought these would go great with the dress I picked out. Don't you think?"

Ryoko grimaced. "They have heels."

"Do you not like heels?" Ayano asked. "I could ask for something else if you want. Would you rather have flats?"

"I—"

The sale's woman returned to butt into the conversation. "Oh wow!" she announced as she looked over Ryoko. "That dress looks great on your figure," she told Ryoko, who's face pinched. "You'd certainly make any boy's heart melt," The sale's woman turned to Ayano. "You really should consider buying it."

Ryoko interjected before Ayano had a chance to answer. "No!" she exclaimed with wide eyes. A second later, she cleared her throat, and said in a lower voice. "No, that's ok. She doesn't want to do that."

But the look in Ayano's eyes told the sale's woman that Ryoko was wrong.

* * *

Ryoko stumbled slightly as she walked in her new shoes, due to never having worn heels in her life. She stared down at her newly bought dress. It was against her will, of course, she wouldn't be caught dead wearing this kind of dress in public, if it wasn't for the sale's woman's sharp wit and Ayano's insistence. Hell, she wouldn't be wearing anything girl related if she had the choice.

Ryoko stared at the bag in her hand, where her clothes and shoe were shoved inside. She had dressed modestly for a reason, she should've known better than to agree to go clothes shopping with a girl that wasn't a part of his family. Then again, his relatives wouldn't have any better.

With a sigh, Ryoko said. "I can't believe you bought me this."

Ayano gave the girl a smile. "Just think of it as a present from me."

"… a present for what?"

There was a brief pause, before Ayano said. "… the start of a friendship?"

Ryoko spared her a glance, an unreadable expression on her face. Suddenly, Ryoko suggested that they change directions. Eventually, they found themselves at a nice little park. Ayano paused to look over the calming scenery.

"Do you want to sit down for awhile?" Ryoko suggested, pointing at a nearby bench.

"Alright." Ayano said with some hesitation.

Once they took a seat, Ayano sat in silence as she watched children frolicking all over the playground. When she was younger, she'd always follow her older sister to the park. Naori would usually get upset, screaming at her to leave her alone, while she went to play with her friends.

Out of nowhere, Ryoko suddenly asked. "… You do have _some_ friends of you own right?"

Ayano hadn't expected the question. With a bit of trouble, she answered. "… I never really had any friends of my own," she said, with an uneasy laugh. "I've always been by myself."

Ryoko was silent. After several minutes, Ryoko then asked. "Is that why you always bother… my brother? You just want to be… friends? That's all?"

"O-of course," Ayano said. "What other reason would there be?"

"You don't…" Ryoko paused. "Like him or anything?"

"No!" Ayano's face went pale from Ryoko's insinuation. "Oh, I hope he doesn't think that I… oh goodness no! He's just so misunderstood. I just know that he can't be that bad of a person."

"… right."

Ayano wrapped her arms around herself, still not quite over what Ryoko had asked her. "… He's also really scary," she missed Ryoko's face shift to a slightly damper expression. "You won't say anything to him?"

Ryoko shook her head, a scowl on her lips. "It'll be something kept between us… as…" she sighed. "_Friends."_

Without warning, Ayano let out a loud squeal. Before she could help herself, she brought Ryoko into a tight hug. It only took her several seconds, before she realized what she was doing.

With a squeak, she immediately scooted away from her, her face painted with a blush of embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Ryoko smiled. It was a tiny one, but it was still a smile nonetheless. "Don't be," she assured her with a soft chuckle. "I guess that's what friends do?"

Ayano returned the smile. "I-I guess so."

"Come on," Ryoko said, getting onto her feet. "I know a great ice cream parlor we can go to. It's not that far from here."

* * *

A waitress carefully set down the desserts Ayano and Ryoko had ordered. "You girls enjoy your meal!"

Ryoko cringed but muttered a few words of gratitude under her breath anyway as the waitress left. Ayano lifted a spoon up, placed a small amount of the ice cream parfait she ordered onto it, before putting it into her mouth.

Ayano's face brightened. She removed the spoon from her mouth a smile on her lips. "It's good!"

"You've had ice cream before right?"

"Of course, I have," Ayano replied, while taking another bite of her frozen treat. "It's just I've never had this kind of ice cream."

"That's okay," Ryoko assured her with a small shrug. "I've never really had this stuff either." Ryoko slid her parfait in front of Ayano. "You can have it."

"… What?"

Ryoko shrugged. "I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

Ayano's gaze went over to Ryoko's glass. "… But I don't want to be the only one eating. That'd be rude."

"Its fine," Ryoko insisted. "Every time I go here with Misaki she always orders that one. So, if she likes it, I'm pretty sure you'll like it too."

Ayano blinked at the sudden mention of Dr. Tofu's daughter. "Misaki?" she repeated. "You must have a great relationship with her too right? Like your brother?"

"Well, she's my cousin," Ryoko said. "I'd say she likes me as much as she likes my brother."

"It's really sweet that she has you two."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"… If Misaki likes this," Ayano pointed her spoon at Ryoko's neglected dessert. "I'm sure you'll like it too."

Ryoko snorted. "You can't just turn this back around on me."

"At least have a small bite?" Ayano spooned a small amount of the ice cream onto her utensil and carefully guided the spoonful towards Ryoko. "Say 'ah'."

"I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself," Ryoko grumbled, holding her hand out for the spoon, which Ayano happily placed it into.

Instead of simply shoving the spoon into her mouth to get it over with, Ryoko stared at the ice cream. She glanced up at Ayano, who was staring at her expectantly. Ryoko slowly brought the spoon in her mouth. Her taste buds were suddenly swept with a burst of sweetness. Ryoko's shoulders dropped. She had already expected the frozen treat to be sweet, but not _this _sweet.

"… Alright," Ryoko murmured when she removed the spoon from her mouth. "It's not too bad, but I don't think I'll have anymore. Like I said before, I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"How about you try something else?" Ayano suggested. She picked up the dessert menu placed next to the napkin dispenser. She flipped through it, her eyes lightening up when she found something, and turned the menu towards Ryoko to point at a pictured dessert. "The cherry cheesecake looks delicious. Why don't you try this instead?"

* * *

Ayano hummed a tune under her breath as she waited outside the clinic. She felt a slight sense of déjà vu and couldn't help but wonder how Ryoko's brother was doing. The doors to the clinic swung open, as Ryoko walked out while she tried to stuff a medium sized thermostat into a small black athletic bag.

"Sorry for making you wait so long," Ryoko said, once she was successful with putting the large container away, she slipped the bag onto her back, and hooked her thumbs over the black ropes used as the bag's straps.

"It wasn't too long of a wait," Ayano said. "Did you get what you needed?"

"Yeah, I did."

Ayano pointed her finger at the next corner. "It's that way to your house, right?"

"I'll drop you off at your house first," Ryoko was unfazed by the shocked look Ayano gave her. "It's only fair, since you went to my house this afternoon."

"You don't have to do that," Ayano said. "You don't even know where I live."

"I do—_my brother_ won't mind texting me directions," Ryoko said, reaching into her shopping bag for her phone. With quick fingers, she texted a message and sent it.

Ayano couldn't help peer over the screen, as Ryoko waited for a reply. A received message popped up a moment later. Ryoko opened it, and before Ayano scolded herself for being noisy, she caught a few words from Ryoko's text:_ 'Why are you asking me—'_

Ryoko abruptly snapped her phone shut, and clenched onto her phone when she glanced over at Ayano. "Ok. I got the directions."

"… You really don't mind doing this?"

"Its fine," Ryoko assured her. "It's the least I could do. You wasted money on this dress and shoes," she gestured at the dress on her. "You bought dessert… for the both of us. I'd be a jerk if I made you walk me home after all that."

"You're not a jerk."

"Uh huh," Ryoko nodded. "That's my scary brother, right?"

Ayano squeaked. "I-I wasn't saying that!"

"Relax," she laughed. "It was a joke."

As they started walked, Ryoko gazed up at the darkening sky. "Man, I could've sworn it wasn't this late when we left the ice cream parlor."

"Which did you like better the cherry cheesecake or the chocolate covered strawberry cake?" Ayano asked.

"Both of them were ok."

"What about the lemon meringue pie?"

"It was ok."

"I can't believe this," Ayano sighed. "Don't you like any desserts?"

Ryoko shrugged. "I'm not really interested in eating different kinds of food."

"R-Really?" Ayano sputtered. "Why not?"

"… It's kind of a long story."

"Well, if you want, I can make you a bento."

"Don't you already do that for my brother?"

"He told you that I did that for him?"

"Yeah, he did."

"… I don't normally break promises but," Ayano paused. "Could you tell him that I won't be making him lunch anymore?"

Ryoko stopped walking. "Why?"

Ayano stopped to face Ryoko. "I don't want to keep bothering him," she said. "It's clear that he doesn't like me."

"… You can't say that," Ryoko said, after a brief moment of silence. "You don't know him like I do. And don't say you're bothering him, because you're not."

"You don't have to lie to me," she sighed. "I just really appreciated him helping me out that one time, and it's clear that he wants to be left alone, so I'll just—"

"Shut up!"

Ayano looked taken aback. "R-Ryoko, I'm so sorry. I really shouldn't be talking behind Ryuku's back like that."

"That's not why I'm mad," Ryoko sighed. "That's far from it. Just… keep bothering him okay? I know he's a total asshole, a lot of people know that. He just… I already told you that he's stubborn."

"We can't be friends…"

"You and I are friends now aren't we?" Ryoko asked. "Just show him that you're not all that bad!"

Ayano bit at her bottom lip. "… Do you really think so?"

"I do," Ryoko said. "I really do."

"What if he yells at me?"

"He doesn't yell at you," Ryoko said defensively. "He just… expresses himself a bit differently from other people. That's all."

"… I'll try."

"If you'll try does that mean you'll keep your promise?" Ryoko asked. "You'll keep making him those bentos?"

"I made a promise didn't I?"

"A promise that you were about to break."

"W-well, I—"

"That was a joke."

Ayano let out a nervous laugh. "O-oh, I see."

"How about you make a promise with me instead?" Ryoko asked. "Does that sound like a better plan?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Since you seem to think that you're bothering my brother," Ryoko started. "Promise me you'll keep doing that. You know, keep bothering that jackass."

Ayano giggled. "I already said I'd try, Ryoko."

"Maybe I'd believe it if you sounded more confident."

"_I'll try_," Ayano repeated strongly this time. "But if he ends up shooing me away again, which he will, then expect me to tell you 'I told you so'."

"He won't do that," Ryoko grumbled.

"He will."

They carried their conversation all the way until they reached Ayano's house, laughing.

"I don't know about you," Ayano began. "But I really enjoyed hanging out with you today."

"… me too."

"I guess I'll see you whenever?"

"Yeah, whenever."

"Well, hurry home," Ayano said. "It's getting late!"

Ryoko waved her hand at her dismissively. "I can handle myself."

"Good night."

"Wait a sec!" Ryoko said. When Ayano turned around with a puzzled look, she saw Ryoko scratching her cheek. "I, uh, wouldn't mind doing this again sometime, just… maybe without the dresses?"

"That'd be nice!"

"See ya later."

Ayano hurried into her house and fell back onto the front door with the biggest grin on her lips.

What a lovely way to end the day.

* * *

When Ryuku had shed the dress and heels behind a secluded area, she quickly poured the hot water from the thermostat over her head, and pulled out a blue sweater and blue jeans. He changed in a hurry, and once everything was settled he broke into a light jog while he dried his hair with a towel.

A thought had been nagging at him ever since they had left the park. He set his towel around his neck, his hands pulling at the ends with a firm grip as he scowled in thought.

"Scary?" he mumbled under his breath. "She really thinks I'm scary? Jeez, I didn't think I was that much of a jerk to her."

He had tossed the shopping bag in a trashcan he had jogged past, due to having shoved the heels and dress in his athletic bag.

"Oh well," Ryuku huffed, disgruntled. "Least I'm out of that dress and those painful heels."

But despite those two little causalities, he couldn't deny that Ayano girl was decent company.


	12. Ch 9: The Sweet Aftertaste of Friendship

******Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 9:** The Sweet Aftertaste of Friendship

This was the sixth time he had this dream.

Could it even be called a dream if it was actually a childhood memory that he kept reliving over and over again as he slept?

He wasn't positive what the day was or how old he was. But little details like that didn't matter, not when _she_ was there with him. She was wearing the same clothes she wore when his mother first introduced them to each other: the girl's uniform from Furinkan high school. His mother had her hands on his shoulders while she introduced him to her.

At the time, he didn't understand what was going on at all. There was a stranger in his house, giving him a smile that made his stomach do weird twists and jumps.

"He's kind of shy," his mother told the pretty stranger, who simply giggled behind her hand.

The girl kneeled down in front of him. "Ryuku," she said. How on Earth did she know his name? "I'm going to be taking care of you while your mommy's away at work! I just know we're going to have tons of fun, kiddo!"

His eyes stared at her in wonderment.

The corner of the girl's lips quirked slightly, as she glanced up at his mother. He missed the exchange of words between the two women. His eyes were too focused on examining the girl kneeled before him. Why weren't the girls at his schools that pretty to look at?

The girl's gaze lowered and met his. His cheeks burned when her lips curled into a pretty smile.

"Since I know your name, I should tell you mine don't you think?"

Slowly, he nodded his head.

"My name's Megumi," she introduced herself cheerfully. She extended a hand in front of him. "And I can't wait for us to get to know each other!"

He pushed himself away from his mother and accepted her hand. It was amazing how small his hand was compared to hers! She used a light grip as she shook his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ryuku Saotome!"

"… It's nice to meet you, Megumi."

And in a flash, Megumi vanished before his very eyes along with the soothing background of his home. He turned around and found his mother was gone as well. Now he was surrounded in nothing but darkness. His hand twitched. The warmth that belonged to Megumi's hand still lingered onto his skin.

A voice shouted his name. "_Ryuku!_" The voice belonged to a woman.

Could it be Megumi who was searching for him?

The voice didn't stop screaming his name. With each time his name was shouted it seemed like the voice would up in pitch and become even shriller. From this, Ryuku figured that whoever was calling him wasn't going to shut up anytime soon.

With a tired groan, Ryuku cracked one of his eyes opened. His mother's face was looming above him. She wore a frustrated expression on her face. Her eyebrows were drawn together, her lips pulled down into a tight frown, and there was a tint of red on her cheeks. Akane's hands were holding onto his biceps, as she roughly shook him around on his bed. Sleepily, Ryuku blinked up at his mother, before he let his eyelids shut.

"Ryuku, wake up!"

Ryuku grumbled out a sentence of intangible words.

"School started over an hour ago, Ryuku!" his mother yanked him up by his tank top to shake him around more properly. "You're late enough as it is!"

It was as if there was an alarm clock loudly ticking in his head. When the mental sirens finally sounded, it signaled an earsplitting ring that echoed throughout his mind. That was his mother's words finally kicked in. Taking note of the look of realization on her son's face, Akane simply stepped aside. Ryuku leapt out of bed and frantically searched his closet for his uniform. As he searched, he tossed most of his clothes over his shoulder, as he went deeper and deeper into his closet.

"I think your uniform might be in the…"

He ignored his mother and dropped the hanger he was holding onto to drag out his hamper that was shoved in his closet. The red head pulled his uniform out and shot his mother a tired glare.

Understanding the message, Akane walked over to the door. "I promise to wash your uniform when you get home today," she gave her son an apologetic smile, which he responded back with a snort. "I better get going too. You're not the only one that's running late!"

Once he heard his door shut, Ryuku began to hurriedly dress. He didn't bother to waste any more time on looking presentable. He'd fuss with the little things, while he headed over to the high school. Ryuku grabbed his schoolbag off his desk and dashed out of his room.

In a matter of seconds, he was out of the house, and sprinting down the empty streets of Nerima. Normally on his way to school, Ryuku would stop to take in the scenery. The early mornings in Nerima were something to admire when the sun was aligned just right, and the sky was a crisp and clear. Usually, the sounds of singing birds chirping playfully were relaxing. Ryuku just wanted to throw rocks at them.

As he ran, he brushed his fingers through his red unruly hair, buttoning up his jacket with the other hand. He had almost crashed into an elderly couple, who seemed oblivious to everything that was happening around them. The redhead managed to avoid several more accidents.

After that there was the little girl, who was holding onto a pink balloon with a lollipop stick protruding from her lips. He was running towards her, the child was oblivious to his presence and simply stood still in his path. Ryuku came to a halt nearly colliding into her. The girl was so stunned; she cried using both her hands to rub her eyes, consequently losing her grip on the balloon. After a quarter of an hour, attempting to find the balloon, Ryuku decided the best solution would be to buy another balloon.

The last of Ryuku's troubles involved a passing truck that splashed water across the sidewalk, which Ryuku avoided at the last second. If things had happened differently, his only solution would've been to run back to Dr. Tofu's clinic for hot water.

When Ryuku approached the school gates, he was expecting to see them locked. After all, what would be the point of having gates that don't keep tardy students out?

He hopped over the gates, all the while cursing at himself for not setting his alarm.

* * *

Detention wasn't an uncommon experience for Ryuku. He only got detention was because of his occasional lateness.

Among the rest of students that were with him in detention, Ryuku was seated the farthest away from everyone else. He had settled into a corner of the classroom, his side resting against the cool wall, while he stared straight ahead. A variety of students were cooped up in the classroom.

There were a few delinquent boys with various colorful tattoos and piercings. Ryuku figured they were part of a few local gangs in Nerima.

Ryuku recognized the group of girls that harassed Ayano that one evening. He couldn't help but notice that the girls were avoiding eye contact with him. Even the teacher seemed to be uneasy with having the red head in the classroom. Everyone seemed to ignore Bloody Knife Saotome's presence.

Ryuku clasped his hands behind his head and shook his head. He tipped the desk onto the chair's back legs. The redhead turned his gaze to the ceiling.

He listened to the clock ticking, as he started to count the amount of dots decorated over each individual tile. Rapidly growing bored with this activity he let out a sigh, Ryuku glanced away from the ceiling and unexpectedly made eye contact with one of the boys sitting in the front row.

Previously, the boy was hunched forward with his head resting on his crossed arms. Ryuku had assumed he was sleeping ever since lunch started. The boy turned his head enough so that he had a good look at the redhead.

It took Ryuku several seconds, before he realized who it was. It was that weird kid that was always surrounded with a group of kids.

"What's that guy's name again?" Ryuku asked himself with a thoughtful scowl. "Wasn't it like Fumio or something?"

Ryuku didn't give much thought on the matter. Conveniently, his phone started to vibrate. He snuck a cautious glance at the teacher, before he reached a hand into his pants pocket to fish out his phone. When he took his cell phone out, he checked his incoming message.

It was a text message from Ryou: _'wat was tat messge bout on Sat?'_

Ryou usually texted with perfect spelling and grammar, but with only one function arm Ryuku let it slide just this once. Normally, Ryou was the one who pointed out every little mistake everyone made in a text.

'_Wat're u talkin bout?'_ Ryuku texted back.

'_Dnt play dum. u ask me 4 drctns 2 somwher. u of all peple shold kno bettr than 2 ask me bout that sotr of stuf' _

'_its a long story, Ryou. i'll tell u som other tim. 'm in detntion' _

'_4 wat? u get in trouble 4 beatin sme hoodlums?'_

Ryuku stared at his phone screen. _'… hoodlums? Did u really jus put tat?'_

'_I'm in hospial ryu. u relly think i car bout wat words im usin in txt?'_

'… _i woke up late.'_

'_not srprsed.'_

The door creaking open wasn't enough to draw Ryuku's attention away from his phone. There was brief exchange of a few words from the teacher to whoever had come inside the classroom. The sound of faint footsteps approaching him, alerted the redhead but he kept his gaze locked on his phone screen.

When a pink bento was suddenly set on top of his desk, Ryuku placed the front legs of his desk back onto the floor. His blue eyes skimmed over the rather girlish bento that was decorated all over with stars and rainbows.

He glanced up and found Ayano holding a pair of pink chopsticks in front of him. Ryuku accepted the utensils and noticed a stack of papers Ayano underneath her arm. It was clear that her visit to the classroom was to voluntarily grade papers.

Ayano smiled at Ryuku, although there was a bit of forcefulness attached to the smile, and took a seat next to him. Abruptly, there was a burst of whispers flooding the classroom. The murmurs continued despite the teacher's urges that "everyone be quiet in the detention hall!"

As usual, Ryuku ignored the whispers and put his phone away so that he could instead focus on his lunch.

Meanwhile, in front of the classroom, Fumio was interpreting the scene that had occurred between the redhead and the shy girl in a million different ways.

Fumio had only been sent to detention for a petty reason, or at least he believed so. But with what he just saw, he no longer felt the need to plot against the teacher, who gave him detention. Fumio faced the front of the classroom with a sly smirk on his lips, and he patiently waited for the detention session to end.

When the bell sounded, indicating the end of lunch, Ryuku was already on his feet. He placed the empty bento down on Ayano's desk, along with the chopsticks. Ayano set down a red felt-tip pen, which she used to correct the tests, on the test she had just finished grading. She spared a glance up at the redhead with a tentative smile.

Ryuku reached his hand up to nervously scratch at the back of his neck. Awkwardly, he mumbled out his gratitude. "Um, thanks."

Her smile widened. "You're welcome." Ayano paused, her smile drooping slightly. She glanced down to the stack of papers in front of her. "… I know this is probably the worst time to ask, but do you think I could get Ryoko's phone number?"

Ryuku struggled to think of a way to say 'no' to her question in a nice manner.

* * *

The very next day at Ryuku's usual lunch spot, the redhead was stumped with a hard decision: was it worse to hear Ayano ask him numerous questions that hold no sort of importance, or hear the girl ask him about his sister that didn't even exist?

Somehow, Ryuku managed to keep a feigned smile, as he pretended to listen to whatever Ayano was yapping about now. So far, he was doing an excellent job at keeping his cool, or at least he thought he was. If Ayano kept this up, Ryuku wouldn't be able to keep up his façade up.

Ryuku rubbed his palm over his face, shut his eyes, and attempted to drown out Ayano's voice. However, it was hard to ignore silence. Ayano had stopped talking. Puzzled, the redhead lifted his hand away from his face and opened his eyes. Ayano was glancing off to the side with a hurt expression on her face.

It took Ryuku awhile to realize that he unintentionally retorted. "Don't you ever shut up?" he dropped his hand onto his thigh. He felt the urge to slap himself square on the face. "So much for keeping my word," Ryuku thought.

"I'm sorry," Ayano murmured. "I didn't even notice I was being rude." She made a move to leave but Ryuku stopped her.

"Just because I told you to shut up," Ryuku shut his mouth. He knew those weren't the right words to say. "… What I meant was. You don't have to leave just because I said to stop talking." He winced. Was he always this socially awkward around people?

Begrudgingly, Ryuku thought. "Let's try this again." He took a deep breath. "You can talk… just…" All Ryuku could think of for the rest of his sentence was: "Just keep the talking to a minimum."

He heaved a sigh and plopped down onto the grass.

It was going to be a very long lunch.

* * *

The hallways were mostly empty save for a few others early students. Ayano had left her home an hour earlier than usual. She blamed it on the previous night, where she spent most of her time preparing several bentos for Ryuku. Ayano wasn't pinning the fault on the redhead.

It was her idea to prepare him such a large lunch every weekday, but that didn't mean it didn't get tiring. Ayano stared down at the paper bag she had half stacked with bentos, as she walked down the hallway. The halls were somewhat soothing when there wasn't endless amount of students shuffling through the narrow hallways to get to their homeroom class.

Ayano's ease abruptly ended when she was suddenly bombarded by a group of eager students. She was completely surrounded in a matter of seconds. Her eyes landed on the group's leader, Fumio Gosunkugi, who stood before her with a confident air around him.

Fumio simply shot her a knowing smirk that rubbed Ayano off the wrong way.

"What is it?" Ayano snapped, acting uncharacteristically cold.

The boy in front of her quirked an eyebrow at her, almost impressed with her attitude change. "We just have a few questions to ask. Is that alright with you?"

Ayano was about to flat out tell him "No!" however, a boy spoke up first. "Is it true?"

"… Is what true?" Ayano asked.

Before Ayano knew what was happening, her paper bag was yanked out of her hands. Numerous grabby hands ripped the bag open. Bentos spilled onto the tiled floor with loud clacks.

A chorus of gasps surrounded Ayano.

Next, it was a girl who spoke up next. "I can't believe that monster made you into his slave!"

Another girl grabbed Ayano's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "You poor thing," she cried. "If only there was a way we could help you!"

"You don't have to listen to him," a boy told Ayano.

"You could always poison the bastard," another boy suggested helpfully. He glanced down at the bentos piled onto the floor. "… Unless, that was what you were already planning on doing."

For the next few minutes, Ayano simply stood where she was. She listened as voice came from every direction around her; each one of the voices badmouthed the redhead with a different rumor.

Suddenly, something deep within Ayano snapped. "None of you know a single thing about, Ryuku Saotome!" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs. "All of you are only willing to listen to lies from the least trust worthy person!"

The last of Ayano's words echoed throughout the hallway. Ayano snatched the torn paper bag back from the student, who had taken it from her. She dropped down onto her knees, ignoring the whispers above her, as she put each bento back into the bag.

"She's been brainwashed!" a boy cried. "Bloody Knife Saotome must have her family hostage!"

With a disgusted look on her face, Ayano pushed past the crowd, and headed for her homeroom class.

Once she was seated at her desk, it took Ayano only a few seconds to realize what she'd just done. Her cheeks flushed, as she hid her face in embarrassment, while her classmates began to file inside the classroom.

* * *

When Ayano finally showed up with his lunch, Ryuku couldn't help but notice that she seemed less chipper than usual. Then again, he always seemed to drain away her cheerfulness whenever she was around him, at least when he was a guy anyway.

After heaving a loud sigh, Ayano plopped down onto the grass. She curled up into the fetal position, holding her knees tightly to her chest, and rested her chin onto her kneecaps. She gazed up at the blue sky above, and made comments to herself about the shapes of the clouds.

Ryuku was uneasy as he ate. "Am I supposed to ask her what's wrong?" he thought.

The redhead paused when he was about to put a clump of rice in his mouth. Ryuku opened his mouth to say something, but promptly closed it shut at the next second.

He scowled in annoyance, as he shoveled the rest of his meal into his mouth. Right when Ryuku ate his last bite, Ayano let out a sigh.

"God, just ask her what's wrong," Ryuku hissed at himself. "It's not that hard to do! Just ask the stupid girl why she's not being her usual annoying self!"

Ryuku glared at Ayano, who was oblivious with his internal struggle, as he grabbed another bento. Furiously, he ripped the top off and began to stab at the grilled sausage. Ayano should _know_ he was the last person to come to for comfort.

"Maybe if I dump some water over myself, she'll get rid of that lousy frown," Ryuku thought.

Suddenly, Ayano announced. "I don't understand how you can deal with that."

"… Deal with what?"

She glanced down at Ryuku. "All those stupid things everyone says behind your back!"

"Are you kidding me? You're talking about this topic again?" Ryuku asked. "I already told you that I don't care."

Ayano quickly looked away from the redhead, when he met her gaze for several seconds. "… I couldn't handle that."

"Then I guess it's a good thing you're not me."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I know you must be used to it by now, but why should you have to deal with all this? What could you have possibly done to deserve this kind of treatment?"

Ryuku covered the top of his bento with the cover, and set his chopsticks on top of the lunchbox. His lips were pressed into a thin line. "I've had to deal with this for awhile, Ayano. It's not going to go away just because you don't like it, or think it's unfair," he told her. "If things were that easy, don't you think a bunch of problems would've been solved by now?"

"… You're right."

He scooted back until his back was pressed against the tree behind him. "Look," he started, noticing the depressed expression now on Ayano's face. "Don't bother wasting your time worrying about that stuff anymore."

"I wish I could," Ayano said. "But I just can't let it go that easily."

Ryuku's lips fell to a frown. "Why can't you?"

She began to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Because even if it doesn't bother you… It bothers me."

He scoffed at her words. "Tell me, Ayano," he said, humoring the girl. "Do you think of me as someone you need to save?"

"No," she said. "I think of you as a human being."

Ryuku remained quiet for the remainder of lunch.

* * *

When the dismissing bell rang, Ayano was hurriedly writing down the rest of the notes her teacher wrote on the whiteboard. The rest of her classmates left the room, leaving Ayano alone as she took her time to gather her things. Once she had everything situated, she reached for the paper bag under her desk, and left the classroom.

To her surprise, she found Ryuku standing in the middle of the mostly deserted hallway. Ryuku stood before with his hands jammed into his pants pocket. He saw the confusion on her face, and was quick to explain, before any ideas formed into her head.

"Don't get the wrong idea or anything," he informed her in a rush. "You forgot this at lunch." He removed his right hand from his pocket and held out the handkerchief she had used to wrap around the bento she felt was worth eating first.

Noticing her hands were full, Ryuku simply dropped the handkerchief inside the paper bag.

"Thank you!" Ayano said.

There was an awkward silence that hung in the air.

"Um," she paused. "Do you want to walk home together?"

"We live in different directions."

When Ryuku started heading off down the hallway, Ayano accepted that as the answer to her question.

The redhead stopped, glancing over his shoulder, and called out to Ayano. "Are you coming or what?"

Ayano gaped at him. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Just hurry up," he said. "I kind of have somewhere to be."

"Alright!"

* * *

Ayano was expecting her companion to abandon her at any second. She had lost count of how many remarks Ryuku made every time they passed a block. From his comments, she had been waiting for the redhead to suddenly announce his departure, and then run off to zoom off to wherever he had to be.

Uneasily, Ayano glanced up at the boy, who was walking next to her. There was a reasonable distance between them, but she had never thought the day would come when she'd be walking next to Ryuku. This was just too hard for a good girl like her to handle.

"He's not going to yell at you," Ayano assured herself.

When Ryuku took notice of her staring, she quickly averted her gaze forward with a trembling smile on her lips. He frowned at that, but kept any comments he had to himself.

It wasn't long before they reached the point where the two would have to head their separate ways. Ayano began to inch away from the redhead, not wanting to receive an earful for dumbly standing there.

"I can walk you home," Ryuku offered. "… It's only because I have to walk your way anyway. My sister's heading on her way to work and I thought I'd visit her."

Ayano brightened up at the mention of Ryuku's sister. "Would you mind if I tagged along with you?"

Ryuku made a face. "… I don't think that'd be a very good idea," he said. "She's probably going to be really busy. The only reason I'm visiting her is to give her a few things she'll need."

Ayano knew that the Cat Café was often crowded. It was sweet of Ryuku to go out of his way to do something nice for his sister.

"I understand." Ayano said.

* * *

There was that sound again.

Ayano gave a quick glance over her shoulder, checking left and right, before facing forward. She could've sworn she heard a camera going off. Sometimes she thought she could see a bright flash coming from somewhere. Ryuku sensed the easiness that emitted from the girl next to him.

He glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see Ayano looking around. "… There something wrong?"

Ayano came to a halt, when she heard it again. "Do you hear that?"

Following Ayano's example, he stopped as well to follow her gaze. She was glaring at a tree. "… Hear what?"

A disgruntled pout went on her lips. "I keep hearing a camera going off."

He simply stared at her.

Ayano let out a sigh. "Maybe I'm just going crazy."

With a little shake of his head, Ryuku resumed walking. "Probably."

* * *

By the time they reached her house, Ayano had already forgotten about the supposed camera sound that had been trailing after them. Ryuku went out of his way to give Ayano a small wave as his goodbye, and continued walking down the street. Ayano stayed near the wooden gates surrounding her residency. Her hand rested on the fine wood as she watched the redhead leave.

Ayano came to the conclusion that: Ryuku wasn't so bad. He was just bad at first impressions. She felt somewhat guilty saying all of those bad things to his sister, Ryoko. It turned out that Ryoko was right about her brother after all. Ayano stepped onto her yard, and was about to shut the gate, however, she couldn't help but notice something protruding from the bushes in her neighbor's yard.

A few yards away from her neighbor's house, she noticed a trashcan that was placed in front of a steel pole. Dumping out the bentos from the paper bag, Ayano crumbled up the bag and began to walk over to the trashcan. Once she threw the trash away, Ayano sneakily crept up to the bushes.

She let out a gasp at who she found. "_Fumio!_" her features twisted into annoyance. "I knew I wasn't hearing things! There was a camera! You were the no good jerk following us!" she pointed an accusing finger at the portable camera Fumio was holding in his hands.

Fumio raised an eyebrow at Ayano. "So, you aren't denying that there is an 'us'?"

"W-what—"

"Between you and Saotome," Fumio said, as he got onto his feet. He brushed the leaves and dirt that had gotten onto his pants, and smugly smirked at Ayano. "There is something going on isn't there?"

"No, there isn't!" Ayano shrieked. She reached forward to grab the camera. "Give me that camera!"

Fumio simply took a step back to get out of Ayano's grasps. "No way! These pictures are the best material I've ever gotten," he sneered at the puzzled look on Ayano's face. "What's with that look? Didn't you know I was part of the school's newspaper?"

"I-I don't care!" she shouted. "Just give me the camera!"

"Are you seriously going to try to take this from me?" Fumio asked. "Even if you tried to chase me, I'd easily slip away. I'm not placed third on the track team for no reason."

With a determined frown, Ayano made another attempt to take the camera. Fumio snorted, he turned around and began to jog away from her. He didn't bother to break into a sprint. It wouldn't be worth wasting energy on someone, who wasn't even close enough to catch up to him. Ayano's pleads for him to stop went unheard, as Fumio gained more and more distance away from her.

He looked over the camera in his hands. Fumio glanced over his shoulder to see Ayano had stopped awhile ago. She was bent forward with her hands on her thighs. The stupid girl was probably struggling to catch her breath. When he faced forward, a startled shout let his lips as he crashed into another body.

An annoyed growl came from Fumio, while he sluggishly went back onto his feet. His eyes searched for his camera that he had lost hold of during the sudden impact. Fumio dusted his uniform off with his hands, furious glancing all around him for his portable device.

"Are you looking for this?"

His camera was dangled in front of his face. Fumio made a grab for it but missed as the camera was pulled away from him. Whoever had taken his property from him had a few good inches on Fumio.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Fumio glared up at and met blue eyes.

It was the eyes that belonged to Bloody Knife Saotome.

Ryuku quirked an unimpressed eyebrow at Fumio, who's glare faltered somewhat. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Just give me the camera back!" Fumio growled. When he made another grab at his camera, he failed like before. "You can quit acting so damn high and mighty! It's so fucking annoying!"

Wordlessly, Ryuku dropped the device onto the ground, and proceeded to grind the device with the heel of his shoe. Fumio could only watch the demise of his camera with his jaw dropped.

"_You asshole!_" Fumio screeched angrily, when he saw what was left of his camera. "You think you can do whatever the fuck you want! Well, you know what? You don't scare me, Saotome!"

Ryuku shrugged. "Why would I want to scare a coward like you?" he bent down and started to pick up several pieces of the camera. When he came back up, he hooked his index finger into the collar of Fumio's jacket and shoved the pieces down. "Here's your camera. There are still some pieces of the ground if you want the whole thing back."

Fumio spat a spring of colorful cures at Ryuku, before he shoved past him.

"Ryuku!"

Ryuku turned his head in the direction where his name was shouted and saw a flushed Ayano jogging towards him.

"Did you catch him?" Ayano asked after a few struggled breathes.

"Sort of," Ryuku answered. He glanced over her condition. "Are you really that tired?"

"He was faster than I expected him to be!"

"Well, he's on the track team," Ryuku said. "That's why the only thing he's good for is running away from things."

"You got the camera?"

"I took care of it."

Ayano sighed. "… You know, he's probably the worst person in the world. He's always making up something stupid about you."

"I know he does. He's always making some sort of bullshit up. I wouldn't trust anything that guy says."

Ayano smiled. "I know."

* * *

It was another day at lunch for Ryuku and Ayano.

Right when Ryuku had finished eating, he paused for a moment, before he took his wallet out. He flipped it opened, and stared at whatever was placed inside. His gaze flicked away from his wallet to look up at Ayano, who stared at him in bewilderment.

He held out a photograph. Ayano gazed down at the photograph, before she hesitantly took it from his hand. It was a photograph of a girl, who appeared to be about her age.

"Who's this?" Ayano asked curiously.

"Her name's Megumi Amori," Ryuku plucked the photograph from Ayano's hand to gaze over the picture. "She used to babysit me when I was a little kid."

Ayano's eyes widened. All those rumors about his babysitter—her train of thought was put to a stop when Ryuku said. "The only thing about those rumors that are true is that I do… like her."

"Then that means aside from that none of the rumors are true!" Ayano cheered.

"… Yeah."

Ryuku blocked out the rest of Ayano's cheers, as he stared down at the photo he held in his hand.

Maybe one day, if his trust for her grew just a little bit, he'd tell her the whole story.

* * *

In the far distance, a rather large man was approaching Nerima. The man—or as he liked to be called—_Mr. Peddler_ pushed a cart in front of him, as he whistled a song that seemed to up his spirits.

The cart was filled to the tops with all sorts of items. However, one item in particular seemed to attract the sunlight just right. The rays from the sun bounced off the mirror, which seemed to shine a message that no one but the peddler could decipher.

A wide grin went onto the man's lips. "I definitely sense something worthwhile in this town, don't you?" he laughed.


	13. Ch 10: The Mirror of True Selves: P1

******Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 10:** The Mirror of True Selves: Part 1

It was a special occasion for Nerima because several new vendors had come into the town's local swap meet. Several people poured into the dusty little flea market and in the middle of it all were the two members of the Saotome family, Genma and Nodoka. Along with the Saotomes, were several members of the Tendo family, though, all three of Soun's daughters had changed their maiden names.

Aside from Soun Tendo, there was his oldest, Kasumi Ono and her daughter, Misaki Ono, by her side. The second eldest, now known as Nabiki Kirai, stood by her family preoccupied with her cell phone. Finally, the youngest, Akane Saotome, seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

"Nothing like a nice family outing," Soun sighed contently. He turned to his old friend, who was staring at the many food vendors scattered about. "Ay, Saotome?"

"I couldn't agree more, Tendo." Genma replied, mouth watering from the aromas of succulent meals being cooked.

The two old friends lagged slightly behind the others, who seemed more interested in the shops than the men. Suddenly, Nodoka separated herself from the women to approach the two men behind them.

"Dear," she called out, her hand reaching out to rest on Genma's stomach. "We're heading over to where the clothes section is. Do try to catch up with us, alright?"

Genma nodded, wiping away the saliva with his sleeve. "Don't worry about me, dear."

Nodoka chuckled. She moved her hand up to pet Genma's head. "I wish I could trust those words."

Genma's face fell, when his wife rejoined the others ahead of them. He turned towards Soun, who had trouble hiding his amused grin. "Do you think she really meant that, Tendo?"

"We'll never know, Saotome." Soun chuckled, while feeling a little famished himself.

As they approached the clothes section of the swap meet, Soun suggested that they split up for a bit. When Genma and Soun left to look around the rest of the swap meet, Genma finally gave into his hunger and insisted they get something to eat.

Eventually, the two settled on takoyaki. After finding a vendor, they waited somewhat patiently in line. In the corner of Soun's eyes, he couldn't help but notice a tall, burly man that stood out from the rest of the vendors. For one, he was a rather big man, and had distinct European features.

The peddler simply stood in a shared space across from the takoyaki stand. He towered over everyone that walked by him. His face was covered in grey hair, with a long beard that stretched over his round stomach. The peddler had a small sack he carried on his back, and a cart that he had placed in front of him.

Without saying a word to Genma, Soun stepped out of the line to see what the peddler had to sell. The peddler's eyes were a dark green. His right eye had a scar running over it; while still green it was clouded over. With his good eye, the peddler gazed down at Soun with a crooked smile that showed some his yellow tinted teeth.

"What can I do for you, my friend?" the peddler greeted with a deep timbre. He gestured to his cart with his large hand, which was wrapped with dirtied bandages that looked like they needed to be changed. "As you can see, friend, I have much to offer." The peddler playfully added. "All for a reasonable price of course."

Soun noticed the peddler's thick foreigner accent. Not only was his appearance the obvious indicator, but Soun was positively sure that the man was certainly not from around these parts.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" the peddler asked next. "I have much to choose from. I've collected many priceless artifacts and some not so priceless, as well."

"I'm just looking." Soun gave the man a polite smile.

"Please, we're all friends are we not?" the peddler chuckled, amused by Soun's polite manners. "You may call me, Mr. Peddler, for I have a feeling that we'll be seeing each other again."

A sudden glare caught Soun's attention. Soun's gaze landed upon a rather ancient looking mirror. Without a second thought, Soun wrapped his hand around the mirror's handle and brought it to his face. The mirror certainly looked like it had been through a lot. There were missing decorations on the back and the gold painted on the cover was chipping off. He flipped the object around to observe its back.

Jewels melted into the mirror were crushed, some pieces were missing, and it looked like the object had been dropped several times from its previous owners. Soun brought the mirror closer to his face. On closer inspection, he found a message written in a language that Soun couldn't recognize.

"You have a good eye, my friend," Mr. Peddler said. "That mirror is certainly worth having around."

"It looks quite old," Soun commented, as he cupped his chin in thought. "Do you have any idea what this message says?"

Mr. Peddler shook his head. "No, friend, I do not. A good companion of mine passed that mirror onto me. It's a good find I assure you."

Suddenly, a pair of large hairy hands plopped down on Soun's shoulders. "Tendo!" Genma exclaimed loudly into Soun's ears. "Was there a reason you left your old friend without saying anything?" his eyes looked over to the mirror his friend held. "I know junk when I see junk, Tendo."

"Isn't you anniversary coming up, Saotome?" Soun asked. "I could've sworn you told me that she likes antiques like this."

"That piece of junk?" Genma snorted. He grabbed the mirror out of Soun's hands, and inspected the object, clearly looking unimpressed.

The peddler laughed. "You needn't judge it by its appearance, my friend. Why, all you need to know about how valuable a thing is… to simply look into it."

Genma let out another rude snort. "I've seen better mirrors in public restrooms!" he proclaimed, but nonetheless peered into the mirror anyway.

With a scowl, Genma glared up at the peddler. "There's a crack on this mirror!" he glanced over at Soun. "Tendo, I wouldn't waste a single yen on this…" he paused. "Tendo?"

All the color from Soun's face had drained away. His jaw had dropped and his eyes were as wide as tea saucers. With a shaking finger, Soun pointed behind his old friend. Puzzled, Genma glanced over his shoulder. His heart nearly stopped from what he saw. In an instant, his face mimicked Soun's. Standing behind them was a panda.

An amused laugh came from Mr. Peddler. "A Jusenkyo curse?" he grinned. "No wonder the 'Mirror of True Selves' seemed to take a liking to you."

In astonishment from what had occurred, Genma and Soun repeated the name of the aforementioned object.

Again, the peddler let out a deep rumble of laughter. "Yes, my friends, you heard me right!"

"Could this finally be it?" Genma held the mirror up the air, tears were brimming from his eyes. "Is this the cure I've been for?"

A grin was on the peddler's lips. "I've taken a quick liking to you, friend. As a start of a beautiful friendship, why don't you take that mirror off my hands? I'll give it to a man like you, absolutely free of charge."

Genma grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice," he turned towards Soun, who hadn't quite gotten over his shock. "Tendo, why don't we celebrate by getting a few drinks?"

"I'm up for that, Saotome," Soun said. "But what about…" he glanced over at the panda.

With a snort, Genma waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "The panda is not my problem anymore!" he laughed gleefully. "We'll send it off to the zoo, or heck, call animal control!"

"How about before we leave, we tell the girls where we're going?"

"They're smart girls," Genma said. "Come on, Tendo. We need to celebrate this miracle!"

Mr. Peddler watched the two men leave. He looked over at the panda, which simply stood in the middle of a sea of people, oblivious of the stares it was getting. A bark of laughter escaped the peddler's lips. With a pleased smirk, he grabbed the handle of his cart and made his way through the market.

* * *

When Ryuku walked out of the backdoor to the Cat Café, he was startled to find a giant panda digging through the trashcans.

"G-Grandpa?" he asked, stepping behind the black and white bear to tap on his back.

The panda simply lifted its head up to give the redhead a blank stare, before it resumed back to sorting through trash.

"Grandpa, what the hell are you doing?" he growled. "Shouldn't you be bothering Grandma for a meal if you're hungry?"

The panda let out a grunt in response.

"… Did you two get into a fight or something?" Seeing that simply talking to the panda wasn't getting Ryuku anywhere, Ryuku dragged the panda away from the trashcans. "Come on, this is too low even for you. I'll see if there's something worth eating at home."

* * *

Akane hadn't situated herself over what had just happened.

One second, she was with her sisters, her niece, and her mother-in-law, looking over a lovely blue dress that she was considering buying for herself. Then in an instant, she was being dragged away by Genma. Akane looked behind her, seeing her family watch the two of them leave, curiously. She heard her eldest sister shout out happily, "See you later, Akane!" Slightly irritated, Akane shouted Genma's name to get the old man to stop. However, all her shouts went unheard but were most likely ignored.

Finally, Akane yanked her arm out of Genma's hold. "Genma!" she growled. "What are you doing?"

"There's no time to talk, Akane!" Genma cried. He made an attempt to grab her, but Akane took a few steps back. "We need to get to the dojo! I have important news for you and the boy!"

"What kind of news?" Akane crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll tell you right when we get to the dojo."

"Or you can tell me right now."

"Now, Akane, let's not be childish about this."

"Childish?" Akane hissed, annoyed. "Right now, all I'm being is a mother. What kind of news involves my son?"

Genma scowled. "This news is good news. How it'll involve the boy, I'll certainly tell you, when we get back to the dojo."

A scowl of her own went on Akane's lips. "_Fine_, Genma. But this better be worth it."

"Trust me," Genma said. "It'll definitely be worth it."

* * *

After Ryuku kicked his shoes off in the entryway, and set them with the other pairs of shoes, he led the panda through the front door. The redhead headed for the kitchen. He checked back once to make sure the panda hadn't wondered off. The panda was just a few steps behind him.

Ryuku walked to the electric fridge. He yanked it open to find that most of the fridge was empty, which really didn't surprise. Ryuku and his mother already had so much on their plate, with his mother's part-time jobs, and Ryuku focusing on his schoolwork while waitressing at the Cat Café.

The redhead shut the fridge with his hip, and went over to the cabinets. The cabinets were usually filled with junk food and other quick meals. Occasionally, there would be times when Akane was able to prepare a meal for the two of them. But those were times Ryuku looked the least forward to.

"We got plenty of instant ramen," Ryuku picked up one of the ramen cup. He held it over his shoulder for his grandpa to take, but all he heard was the panda grumbling. "Grandpa, what are you…" when he turned his head, he found the panda sorting through the trash. "Hey! What're you doing?"

Ryuku slammed the cabinet shut and yanked the bear away from their trashcan that was already filled to the top. He'd take out the trash at another time. "What were you expecting a feast?" he hissed. "If you're that hungry, go apologize to grandma! I'm sure she'd be more than happy to make you something!"

The panda dug its nose further into the bag of chips it was holding onto. With a scowl, Ryuku snatched the bag out of the panda's paws. In response, the panda gave Ryuku a blank stare.

"Well, if you're not going to apologize," Ryuku sighed. "I guess you probably want to spend the night, huh?"

He accepted the panda's blink as a suitable answer.

Although, there was initial difficulty, Ryuku led the panda away from the kitchen along with the trash it seemed so attached to. As he and the panda neared the living room, he heard voices. Specifically, voices that belonged to his mother and—Ryuku shot a puzzled look at the panda—his grandpa. Ryuku dismissed the confusion quickly, maybe he heard wrong, there was no way his grandpa could be at two places at once.

"That kind of thing just isn't possible," Ryuku thought. He nudged the panda with the back of his elbow. "Let's go tell mom that you're spending the night."

Ryuku's fingers hooked into the handle of the door, he paused for a brief moment, before he slid it aside. Inside the room, like he had expected was his mother, who was gazing over a mirror. She had been talking to another person. That person turned out to be his—this time Ryuku gawked at the panda behind him—_was_ his grandpa.

Akane stared at her reflection, taking in the small scratch that was in the middle of the mirror. She rubbed the pad of her thumb over it. "This old thing was what did it?"

"Yes, it was!"

His mother shot her father-in-law a doubtful look. "I don't know, Genma," she said. "I really don't think something _this_ worn could've—"

A furious growl interrupted Akane's sentence. "How many times must I show you, child?"

Set out all over the table were countless glasses filled with water. With a determined scowl, Genma randomly picked up a glass, and dramatically poured it over his head.

Ryuku's jaw dropped. Instead of a large black and white bear sitting in the middle of the room, there was only his grandpa. He was bewildered that the transformation had not occurred.

"W-what the hell is going on here?" Ryuku exclaimed. He jerked his thumb at the panda behind him. "If that panda isn't you then who the hell is this?"

Genma's back straightened at the sudden intrusion of Ryuku's bemused statement. Abruptly, he scrambled towards Akane and pried the mirror from her hands. "Finally, you're home, my boy!" he cried with a gasp. "What you just saw was a miracle. Your favorite grandpa has finally found what will cure us!"

In a somewhat graceful manner, Genma leapt onto his feet. Ryuku glanced down at what his grandpa held in his hands. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at Genma, who wouldn't stop grinning.

"… a mirror?" Ryuku mumbled. He heard the panda make a sound, as if it in its own way, it was agreeing with the redhead. "I don't understand."

Genma placed a hand on Ryuku's shoulder. "What's there to understand, boy?" he chuckled. "Just do your grandpa a favor, and take a good look at how handsome you are!" and with that Genma thrust the mirror in front of Ryuku's face, giving Ryuku no choice but to stare at his own reflection.

For some reason, the redhead that was looking back at him gave him a sly smirk. It mouthed out a few words, before Ryuku suddenly felt very weak. He stumbled forward, his hands reaching out to keep himself from falling. It felt like everything had been drained out of him.

"What just happened?" was Ryuku's last thought, before he slumped forward into his grandpa's arms.

"Boy?" Genma tilted his grandson's head back. "… He's out cold."

Akane shoved Genma out of the way. "Oh my god!" she cried. "What's wrong with him? What did you do, Genma!" she yanked her son out of Genma's arms, and gently set him down on the floor.

Genma grabbed a glass of water and proceeded to dump its contents over Ryuku. A pleased cry escaped his mouth seeing the boy had remained in his original form.

"It worked, Akane! _It worked!_"

Suddenly, a boastful laugh echoed throughout the room. "It sure did, Gramps!"

"R-Ryuku?" Akane placed her hand over Ryuku's cheek.

"That couldn't be the boy," Genma murmured to his daughter-in-law. "He's unconscious."

When Akane looked away from her son, she saw that Genma was looking past her. With a bit of hesitance on her part, Akane began to follow his gaze behind her. The laugh had come from Ryuku; however, it was a _boy_ Ryuku. But the boy Ryuku wasn't alone; standing next to the redhead with a small smile was a _girl_ Ryuku.

"Now, I can be the man I've always wanted to be!" the boy Ryuku cackled in a slightly maniacal way, while he flexed one of his biceps. "And the best part is, I don't have some stupid curse weighting me done!"

"What's going on here?" Akane asked keeping her eyes trained on the two versions of her son.

"There's nothing to worry about, mother," the girl Ryuku, or rather Ryoko, assured Akane. "I'm sure he'll be alright. He's just taking a little nap."

"A nap?" the boy Ryuku snorted. "Tell the weakling that he can go slip into a coma for all I care! Anyway, I've gotta jet!" he raised his hand up to give a mock salute to Genma. "Thanks again, Gramps! Looks like you were good for something after all!" he darted off, before anyone could do or say anything else.

Ryoko made her way over to the unconscious Ryuku. She knelt down next to him, and brushed his hair away from his eyes. Akane could only stare at the strange scene before her. Never in her wildest dreams, had she expected to see such a thing like this.

"Oh, I do hope he's alright," concern laced Ryoko's voice. Ryoko lifted her head up concern vanished from her face, and took hold of Genma's hands. "Grandfather, I'd like to give you my gratitude as well," with the sweetest smile, she added. "Without you, I don't think I'd ever be able to embrace my feminine side."

Next, Ryoko faced Akane, who was torn between sobbing and giving Genma an earful. "Mother, I know you'll take care of him," she said. "I'd help myself, but I need to change out of these clothes! They're too boyish for a girl like me!" and like the boy Ryuku, she left as well.

Akane forced herself to get over the shock. "Genma, we have to do something about this!"

"What do we have to do?" Genma asked. "We're cured! That's all that matters!"

"Would you shut up about that?" Akane inhaled. She needed to calm down. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she lost control. "Don't you see the big picture? There are two Ryukus! Two Ryukus that are now running around!"

"… What's your point?"

Akane bonked Genma on top of his head. "If you knew this was going to happen, why didn't you say anything?"

Genma rubbed at where he had received the hit. "I didn't know that was going to happen," he mumbled. "I knew the mirror would cure him, but I didn't expect something like _that_ to happen, Akane."

She looked outside. The panda had taken a seat on one of the rocks lining around the koi pond. "Let's get Ryuku to his room."

"I don't see what the problem is," Genma grumbled, as he lifted Ryuku by the legs while Akane hooked her arms under Ryuku's arms. "You always wanted a big family didn't you?"

* * *

Ryuku's eyes slowly fluttered open. Instead of glancing over at his mother, he gazed up at the ceiling. A relieved gasp came from a tearful Akane. She enveloped her son into a big hug.

"Thank God, you're alright! You were unconscious for hours!" when Akane ended the hug, Ryuku simply stared at her. "Grandpa Genma said he's going to take care of everything," she frowned. "But I wouldn't trust anything he says."

All Akane received back was a blank and empty stare.

"Are you hungry?" she bent down to pick up the bed tray she had next to her, and carefully placed the tray over the lower half of Ryuku. A steaming bowl of soup was on top. "I made some soup while you were sleeping."

Ryuku dropped his gaze and stared at the soup.

"Well, don't just stare at it all day…"

She picked up her son's hand and shoved a soup soon inside his loosely clenched fist. "Ryuku!" she huffed when her son wouldn't lift up his hand. "I know, I'm the not the world's greatest cook, but you need something in your stomach!"

Ryuku's stare was still vacant and gave no response.

With a frustrated growl, Akane gripped the spoon and planted the utensil in the soup instead. She scooped up a spoonful and carefully maneuvered the spoon through Ryuku's parted lips. When she removed the spoon she could only watch as broth dribbled past Ryuku's lips and rolled down his chin. Akane tried feeding her son several times, but was met the same outcome with each attempt.

"What's wrong with you, Ryuku!" Akane screamed. Her only form of a reply from the redhead was silence. The silence only made Akane even more agitated. "Insult my cooking! Say you don't want to eat it! Do something instead of just staring at me!"

Surged with emotions, Akane dropped her head down on top of her arms, and silently sobbed on Ryuku's bedside. Once she cried her frustrations away, Akane brought her head up. She wiped at her tears with the sleeves of her shirt, letting out a quiet sniffle every now and then.

"W-would you at least look at me?" Akane moved her hand out to cup Ryuku's chin. She forced him to turn his head towards her. It was now when she finally noticed the vacant expression on her son's face. "… Ryuku?"

* * *

"_Genma!"_

Akane's footsteps echoed as she sprinted down the hallway, and then stomped down the stairs. Upon arriving in the living room, she found her father-in-law sitting in front of the TV, while idly munching on some chips.

"I _knew_ I'd still find you here!" Akane shouted. "This is your fault!" she scanned the living room for the object that had caused her son's current condition. "Where is it?"

Genma dropped his head back to properly glance at Akane. "What's the problem, my dear?"

"Give me the mirror, Genma."

"What do you need the mirror for?" he popped several chips into his mouth, as he chewed a thoughtful expression washed over his face. His eyes narrowed. "You aren't planning on using it on someone else are you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about," Genma said, finally swallowing his mouthful of junk food. "That Ryoga and his son, you're planning on curing them aren't you?"

Akane gave her father-in-law a dumbfounded stare.

"The Saotomes have suffered with our curses for a long time! They can find their own cure."

"That's the last thing I'm worried about, Genma," Akane said. "Right now all I care about is my son, who's sitting up in his room like a vegetable! It's all because of that stupid mirror!"

"The mirror…?" Genma repeated. "The mirror is the last thing that could've caused the boy's sudden change."

"Let me see the mirror. Don't make me have to take it by force."

"Didn't you see what the mirror has done? The boy and I are cured forever! We no longer have to deal with the troubles of a Jusenkyo curse! The burden is off of us Saotomes!"

"Have you completely blocked out what happened when my son looked in that mirror? There are _two _versions of my son running around doing god knows what!" she gestured towards the panda outside. "There's a _panda_ sitting outside my house!" she growled. "If this mirror was the cure we've been looking for, Ryuku would _not_ be acting like… like a vegetable!" she turned off the TV, seeing that it was only providing a distraction for her father-in-law. "Genma, that mirror is not the cure."

"I know what this is about," Genma scoffed. "You _do_ want to spread the wealth! You want to go to every single cursed fool in Nerima and cure them too! Need I remind you, Akane, that it was Ranma's _curse_ that made him run out on you and your son? If… if we could somehow get in contact with the stupid boy, he'd finally be home where he belongs!" he reached inside his gi and took out the mirror. "This mirror is all we need to make that happen."

"… I know that Ranma will come back," Akane murmured. She snatched the mirror out of Genma's hands and kicked him out of the house. "But this mirror is not what's going to do it!"

Before Genma had a chance to get back onto his feet, Akane slammed the door shut. Immediately, she headed for Ryuku's room. When she swung the door open, she saw Ryuku had moved slightly. He was now sitting on the edge of his bed, with the tray placed beside him.

"Ryuku!" Akane went to her son's aid. "Can you walk on your own? We need to get going. We need to find out what the hell this thing has done to you."

* * *

Getting rid of Genma wasn't going to be a simple task. Akane knew he wouldn't let her have the mirror without putting up a fight. Knowing this, Akane went to the last place Genma wouldn't know about: Nabiki's, or rather Nabiki's lush hotel room. Akane made sure to let everyone know that Genma wasn't himself and told them to keep her whereabouts a secret.

Her sister had chosen an expensive hotel to take as a temporary home. It was probably the most expensive hotel Nerima had to offer. When Nabiki opened the door, she quickly ushered her kid sister inside and helped her get Ryuku onto one of the beds. Nabiki opened the mini-fridge to fetch Akane a couple of snacks and a cold bottle of water.

Akane had taken a seat on the other edge of the bed, her fingers combed through Ryuku's hair. Ryuku blinked up at the skylight in the hotel room.

"Here," Nabiki handed the snacks and bottle to her sister, who thanked her with a strained smile. "You sure picked a bad time to visit me. It's almost three in the morning."

"I'm sorry, Nabiki," Akane sighed. "I just… I really needed a place to stay and you were the only person I can turn to in a situation like this."

There was a flicker of emotions in Nabiki's eyes. Her lips curled into a tight frown. "What happened?" she shook her head. "No, save it. Tell me once you've got some rest. You look exhausted. Give me the number to your job, I'll tell them you can't show up tomorrow."

"Thanks, Nabiki," Akane gave her sister a grateful smile. "Thank you so much."

* * *

When Akane woke up to the unfamiliar shrill sirens coming from an unknown source, it took her awhile to realize she was not in her room. Slowly, Akane sat up on the hotel bed. An annoyed grumble came from the next bed over, Nabiki shot her hand out to silence the hotel's alarm clock. Akane watched as her sister climbed out of bed and migrated over to the bathroom. In a matter of seconds, the shower started.

Akane looked down at her son. She had fallen asleep before him. It looked like at some point he did as well. "We'll fix this soon, Ryuku. I promise."

About a half hour later, Nabiki came out of the bathroom with just a yellow towel around her body, and a matching colored towel drying her hair. The towel didn't cover much, but Nabiki didn't seem to care, as she made her way to her luggage.

"Nabiki!" Akane covered her son's eyes, despite him already being asleep. "Don't you have any decency?"

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Please. The kid turns into a girl. I'm sure he's seen a naked girl's body plenty of times."

"That's not the point!"

After getting changed into a pair of greens shorts and a simple white blouse, Nabiki sat on the edge of her bed, while she continued to dry off her hair. "… What's wrong with the kiddo anyway?"

Akane picked up the mirror she had set down on a small table shoved into a corner of the room. She took a seat next to her sister and handed it to her.

With her free hand, Nabiki held the mirror. "Looks sort of tacky, Akane, but I guess it suits you."

"That's not the point, Nabiki! I don't care how stupid the thing looks; I care about what it did!"

"… Which is what exactly?"

"He's cured… to an extent."

"No way! Are you kidding me?" There was another mini-fridge underneath the nightstand. With a small tug, Nabiki opened it to take out a water bottle. Giving her sister a smirk, she removed the bottle cap, and poured the water over Ryuku. "… Well, I'll be. You know it's funny, how your husband left to find a cure when you did it right at home."

"Nabiki, that's not funny!" Akane shouted. "And stop bothering Ryuku while he's sleeping!"

"I think it is. Plus I swear I can hear Ranma's cries from here."

"Cut it out!"

"Yeah, yeah," Nabiki sighed and handed Akane her towel.

Akane dried Ryuku's hair with the towel. "Couldn't you have just taken my word for it?"

Her sister looked over the object. "From the condition it's in, it looks like this thing has been around for centuries, Akane. Why don't you ask a certain someone that knows a thing or two about antiques?"

"Are you kidding me?" Akane asked in disbelief. "You want me to ask that… that bitch?"

"You do want to fix your son don't you?"

"I do, Nabiki, but—"

"Then suck in your pride, little sister, and ask the bitter Amazon."

"This has nothing to do with pride! This has to do with the fact that she hates my guts! Why would she help the woman she's been trying to sabotage for years?"

"I don't see any other choice, do you?"

* * *

The door to Shampoo's apartment swung open right after Akane knocked onto the door. Akane had expected to see Shampoo stand in front of her, giving her a harsh glare, before promptly slamming the door in her face. However, instead of Shampoo, it was Mousse who had answered the door.

Akane couldn't help but gape at the Amazon. She hadn't seen Mousse in years. For awhile, she had thought he had stayed in China when his wife decided to move back to Nerima. Mousse had certainly changed from the last time she had seen him. His hair was shorter, now stopping at the tip of his shoulders, instead of at the small of his back. There were bags under his eyes in a distinguishing way. Akane guessed it was stress and lack of sleep.

She never saw the Amazon wear anything beside his white robe that held onto seemingly unlimited amounts of weapons and gadgets. But Mousse stood before her wearing a casual long sleeved shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans.

Mousse even had a different pair of glasses. Now, he wore simple reading glasses.

The Amazon blinked at Akane a few times. He removed his glasses from his face, his hand reaching into his pants pocket for a handkerchief, and rubbed at the lenses.

When he placed his glasses back on, his eyes widened. "I guess, I wasn't seeing things," he muttered. "Akane Saotome, it has been awhile. To what do I owe the pleasure to?"

Akane's mind drew a blank. "What can I possibly say to a guy I haven't seen in years?" she thought.

Suddenly, a very familiar voice from behind Mousse asked the man in a language Akane guessed to be Chinese. "Mousse, who's at the door?"

Mousse spared a glance at Akane, when he answered back in the same language. "It's Akane," he paused. "Darling."

Shampoo pushed her husband aside. She held her hand onto the doorframe, purposefully using her body to block Akane out from Mousse's view. Over her shoulder, Shampoo glared at her husband, who left for the kitchen.

When she turned her gaze back to Akane, she switched over to her choppy Japanese. "What you doing here, Violent Girl?"

Preventing Akane from leaving were the last thing Nabiki had said to her before she left. "… I need your help, Shampoo." Akane admitted reluctantly.

An amused smile curled onto Shampoo's lips. "Violent Girl need _Shampoo's_ help?" she giggled. But her giggles didn't last very long. She targeted a harsh glare at Akane. "Don't make laugh! Shampoo would never help Violent Girl. Never in millions of years." And with that Shampoo began to close the door.

Akane stuck her foot between the wall and the door, stopping the door from slamming shut. "Wait! Can you at least tell me about this mirror?"

Through the amount of space in the door, Shampoo glanced down to what Akane held into her hand. She rolled her eyes, but opened the door to grab the object from Akane's hands.

A knowing twinkle was in her eyes, as she indirectly looked over the mirror. She tossed it onto the floor in the outside hallway. "Shampoo know what this is, but Shampoo's lips are sealed!" she slammed the door in front of Akane's face.

* * *

Now in a sour mood, Akane walked away from Shampoo's apartment complex. She was filled with anger from Shampoo's refusal to help her. Of course, Akane had expected that from the bitter Amazon, but she had hoped for at a least a helpful nudge.

"Wait!" a voice boomed behind her quite a distance back.

"Was that 'wait' for me?" Puzzled, Akane faced the opposite direction and saw Mousse jogging towards her.

"You forgot this."

She glanced down. Mousse held out her wristwatch.

"When did you…"

"Well, it was great seeing you again!" Mousse cut in, sticking his hand out for a handshake.

He let out an awkward laugh, as he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the open window in his apartment building. A figure stared down at them with a challenging gaze targeted at Mousse. Akane accepted his hand, although it was clear she was confused. The handshake ended a few seconds later, and before anymore words could be exchanged Mouse ran away.

Akane noticed that he had slipped her a note: 'Meet me at _The Magic Goose_ at five!'

"The Magic Goose?" Akane repeated. "… the magic shop? Why on earth would he want to meet me there?"

* * *

The Magic Goose was a magic shop that opened up two years ago. It was located at a decent distance from Dr. Tofu's clinic and the Saotome dojo. Akane hadn't paid much attention to the shop. All she knew was that Misaki loved the place, as did her dad, who had started using magic tricks around his clinic for entertainment purposes.

Akane opened the glass door to the shop. The bells above the door jingled a short tune. She walked into the shop, stopping in the middle to announce herself. "Alright, Mousse, I'm here!"

Mousse popped up from behind the cash register island that was placed in the middle of the store, and gave her a tired grin. "Welcome, Akane! I didn't think you'd show!"

The only other person in the store appeared to be Mousse. "… Do you own this place?" Akane asked.

"I do," Mousse beamed with pride, as he looked over his store. "This is where I spend most of my time. Although, I occasionally part-time as a magician for parties and whatnot."

"Is Shampoo here?"

"You don't have to worry about my wife interfering," Mousse assured Akane. "She doesn't know what I do in my spare time."

"Mousse, I'm sorry about—"

"So, let's see what the cause of the problem is!" Mousse quickly cut Akane off.

Startled by Mousse's abrupt interruption left Akane slightly off guard. She eventually nodded in response to Mousse's statement.

Akane opened the bag she had brought along with her and took out the mirror. "Here." Just then, the door to the shop burst open. The sound of the bells let out another brief jingle playing against the silence in the store.

Mousse cocked his head to see who had entered his shop. His face lit up. "Dr. Tofu, long time no see! Did you come for you package? Wait one sec, Akane!" he bounced off to the backroom.

"Dr. Tofu?" she winced. Kasumi and Dr. Tofu had been married for years, but Akane had trouble calling Dr. Tofu simply by his first name alone. It looked like old habits die hard after all.

"… Akane?" another voice asked beside the distinguished doctor's.

"Dad!" Akane whipped around to see her father standing next to Dr. Tofu. "What are you two doing here?"

"I made an order here awhile ago," Dr. Tofu answered. "Soun and I got some lunch, and I just remembered that my package arrived here a few days ago." He paused. "… What brings you here, Akane? I never took you as much of a magic person."

Before Akane had a chance to reply, Dr. Tofu's eyes landed onto the mirror Akane was holding onto. "Akane, do you have any idea what you're holding?"

A loud gasp came from Soun, who pointed at the mirror. "That's the mirror that cured, Saotome!" his finger lowered, as a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Now, what did that peddler call it?" he mumbled, stroking his mustache. "Ah yes, 'The Mirror of True Selves' that's what he called it!"

Dr. Tofu gaped at his father-in-law. "Don't tell me that Genma looked into that mirror!"

Soun blinked. "… He did. I saw him myself."

"That's not 'The Mirror of True Selves'!" Dr. Tofu shouted. "From what I remember reading the size is much too small," he rubbed his hand over his forehead. "I have no idea what that mirror could be."

"It's 'The Mirror of Consequences'," Mousse announced. In his arms he held onto a cardboard box stamped fragile all over. He set the box next to the cash register, and shot the doctor a tired grin. "Of course, you'd know about an old artifact like that, Tofu."

"I don't understand," Soun interjected. "What's so bad about the mirror? So, the peddler gave us the wrong name, it still cured Genma."

"Dad, haven't you been noticing that Genma's been acting kind of strange?" Akane asked.

Soun scratched his cheek. "… Maybe a little bit."

"Strange?" Mousse repeated. "How was he acting?"

Akane's father thought for a moment. "Now that I think about it," he started. "Right when Saotome was cured, he demanded that he and I go to a bar to celebrate, which I saw no trouble with. However, as time went by I noticed that my old friend was starting to behave… differently."

Mousse raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

"It felt as though Saotome lost his ability to rationalize. He was acting as if he was in his younger years." Soun murmured.

"I'll be right back. I should have something that should help us lying around here somewhere," Mousse left for the backroom and shortly returned with a large battered up book. "Courtesy of the old hag," he flipped the book open, dust flying from some of the loose leaf pages, and began to search through the book.

Mousse's eyes lit up when he stopped on a page. "Aha! 'The Mirror of True Selves'!" he dropped the book onto the counter and pointed at the faded image on the wrinkled paper.

Dr. Tofu glanced over the picture. "As I thought," he said. "Soun, whoever showed the mirror to was wrong. This is the actual 'Mirror of True Selves'. The two are easy to tell apart due to the obvious size difference," he nudged his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose and looked over the handwritten words. "Uh, my Chinese is a bit rusty." He paused, looking at Mousse for assistance.

"That's alright, Tofu," Mousse said. His fingers held onto the edge of his glasses, as he read aloud. "'The Mirror of True Selves' has been around for centuries. No one is positive of the mirror's origins or if it even truly exists. Other than that, it's hinted at being either Chinese or Babylonian."

A frown went on Soun's lips. "If that mirror is the actual cure… then just what was it that Saotome looked into?"

"Let's see," Mousse took the book and turned to the next few pages over. He stopped at a page that seemed to be in even worse condition than the last one, seemingly scanning the text carefully. "From what I can see from the image, this is the mirror Akane is holding." The Amazon flipped the book around, so that the others could see it right side up, and placed it before them. "'The Mirror of Consequences' is what it's called."

Akane stared down at the mirror, her reflection gazed back up at her. "'The Mirror of Consequences'…?"

"It seems to have been around at the same time as 'The Mirror of True Selves', and like the True Selves mirror, the Consequence mirror also has unknown origins." Mousse paused to skim over the rest of the page. "… The creator of the mirror made it solely for those who fell into a Jusenkyo spring."

"That would explain why it only worked on Genma and Ryuku," A look of realization dawned on Akane's face. "Oh, God, Shampoo looked into the mirror too! Does that mean that—"

"My wife knows what that mirror is," Mousse said. "She wouldn't allow herself to look into a mirror that's an ancient artifact. But others may not be as lucky," he reached underneath the counter and took out a blue handkerchief that had 'The Magic Goose' labeled on it. "I suggest you cover the mirror, Akane, just to avoid more problems."

Dr. Tofu watched as Akane securely covered the mirror with the handkerchief. He hummed. "I think I know how it works," he said. "Whenever someone who has a curse looks into it, the mirror is triggered, which causes the separation of the curse to occur."

"Yeah, but looking at the mirror at an angle won't trigger the effect." Mousse added.

Akane frowned. "But how do consequences fit into this?"

"I'm not sure," Dr. Tofu said. "Akane, you mentioned that Ryuku also looked into the mirror. That means his curse is separated from him right now?"

"No," Akane shook her head. "Two of them separated from my son."

Dr. Tofu and Mousse shared a puzzled look.

"_Two?_" Dr. Tofu asked.

It was Mousse who spoke next. "That just doesn't make any sense. There should only be one Ryuku that's separated. The mirror should only be able to separate the curse from whoever looks into it."

Akane replayed the scene over and over again in her head. When she had looked back there were two of them. "There was a girl and a _boy_ Ryuku."

"And how is my grandson?" Soun asked, concerned.

"He's… completely gone," Akane murmured. "I can't get him to react to anything."

"Wait!" Mousse suddenly shouted, startling Akane somewhat. "You mean to tell me that you left those…" Mousse thought for a second struggling to find the right word. "Uh, people unattended?"

An annoyed scowl went on Akane's lips. "What was I supposed to do? They both just ran off, before I could do anything!"

Mousse bit at the pad of his thumb. "This isn't good, Akane."

Akane picked up the book from the counter. "What about this? There has to be something in here that can help us find a way to fix this!"

"I'm afraid not, Akane," Mousse sighed. "That book only provides information. I barely managed to scavenge a few books, before the old hag burnt every book and scroll she owned."

In frustration, Akane threw the book onto the counter. "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm sure we'll find a way, Akane," Dr. Tofu assured his sister-in-law while he put a comforting arm around her.

Soun nodded his head in agreement, and patted Akane on the back, since she didn't seem to want to accept an arm from her father.

"If Ryuku's," Mousse paused again, this time finding a more appropriate word that would fit the alternate forms. "'Separations' are gone," Mousse began. "What about Genma's?"

Akane gasped. "You're right! I forgot about Genma!" she said. "I left the panda at the dojo. If it's as lazy as Genma, there's a high chance that it's still there."

* * *

When Ayano had agreed to go shopping with her sister and her friend, Kazuko, she was ecstatic. However, her enthusiasm eventually vanished, as Ayano realized she was only brought along to hold her sister's pack mule. Kazuko glanced over her shoulder to check on Ayano, who was lagging behind them at a great distance. She even looked like she was struggling with everything she was holding.

"Don't you think we should help her?" Kazuko suggested. "I mean, she's only one person."

Naori rolled her eyes. "She can handle it," she scoffed. "Besides, this what she gets for hanging out with that Saotome freak so much."

Kazuko felt a little bit guiltier every time she checked up on Ayano. "… I'm going to help the poor girl out."

"No, you're not," Naori told her friend firmly. She looped her arm around Kazuko's and pulled her over to the next store she had been eyeing. "We're going to go in here."

"Naori," Kazuko huffed. "What about your sister?"

Naori gritted her teeth. She turned her head to shout over her shoulder. "Ayano, we're going in here for awhile! Can you wait outside a bit? It won't take too long this time. I _promise_."

"OK, Naori," Ayano replied. "I'll just… wait here."

"I can hang out here with your sis," Kazuko said. "I don't really like this kind of place."

"Don't give me that," Naori frowned. "You'll like it. Come on."

Ayano could only watch as her sister dragged Kazuko into the store. Her feet ached from walking around so much. Fortunately, there was a bench a few feet away from the shop her sister had went into. Ayano made a beeline for the empty bench and plopped down onto the seat. She set her sister's bags neatly next to her, and rubbed a hand over her thigh.

To pass the time Ayano skimmed over the shopping centre. Several people passed her each seemed to be couples out on a date. Ayano smiled to herself, she always loved to see happy couples. Eventually, her eyes found a rather sizable group of males that were crowded together. Out of the blue a girl pushed past them. Ayano almost couldn't believe who she was seeing: Ryoko Saotome.

Ryoko was wearing a red dress that was trimmed with a high cut, ending just above her kneecaps. On her upper body, she had on an unbuttoned white striped cardigan. Her knee socks were striped as well, and so was the white Sunday hat. Ryoko made a comment to one of the men behind her and giggled before she walked away. Acting as if they were loyal puppies, the crowd of men followed after her every movement.

"She looks busy," Ayano thought to herself. She took a deep breath before she called out her friend's name. "Ryoko!"

Ryoko perked up at the mention of her name. She checked to where she heard the shout. When her eyes landed on Ayano her eyes lit up. With a cheerful smile, she waved at the girl and strolled over to her. Of course, the males behind her obediently followed.

"Ayano!" Ryoko greeted. "Long time no see!" she looked at the bags Ayano had next to her. "You're shopping too?"

"Well, these actually belong to my sister." Ayano said.

"… Sister?" Ryoko echoed. "I didn't know you had a sister. Is she older or younger?"

"She's older."

"Oh," Ryoko smiled clasping her hands just below her chin. "That's sweet. I'm sure she's just as sweet as you, huh?"

"… I guess."

"Well, I'd hate to chat and run, but…" Ryoko gestured to the boys around her. "These nice boys were just about to offer me something to eat, unless you'd like to join us?" her smile widened.

"That'd be nice," Ayano smiled. "But my sister is expecting me out here."

"Alright," Ryoko said slightly losing the shine in her smile. "But before I go, let me give you something first." Ryoko reached into her handbag, she took out a receipt. She asked one of the boys around her for a pen, and was given several to choose from. After a moment of hesitance, Ryoko picked a rather expensive looking pen, and quickly jotted down something on the receipt.

Ayano stared down at the numbers neatly written down.

"It's my phone number!" she told her with a giggle. "My brother said you wanted it."

"R-Right! I did!" she had only remembered Ryuku shooting her down when she had asked for it several days earlier.

"I'll see you later then, Ayano." Ryoko whisked herself away whilst waving at her friend.

Ayano took out her phone and entered the number. "That's weird," she mumbled to herself. "I didn't think Ryuku would tell her that I asked for her number."

* * *

He had been locked up in his room for weeks. It wasn't long before he had grown fed up with only seeing the four walls that enclosed him in his room. It was finally time to look at different surroundings and get some fresh air. Takumi looked over the local shopping district with mild interest. He had no certain destination in mind; all he hoped was that he wouldn't die from boredom. He figured that he'd taken enough money to hit the arcade.

All of a sudden, a large muscular man was thrown through the glass entrance of the Nerima gym. The man crashed into a food cart, reducing the wooden cart into nothing but chunks of wood. At this point debris was everywhere. Takumi could hear people screaming in a panic. He kept his eyes on the man, checking the damage. Out of nowhere, a barbell was thrown on top of the man's stomach, causing the man to cough up a decent amount of blood.

Takumi narrowed his eyes, although there was an intrigued look on his face. "Who the hell did this?"

The dust settled, revealing a redhead standing in front of the gym. He looked rather peeved as he glared at the man. "That was your toughest guy?" he asked, annoyed. He brushed the dust off his shoulders blades with his hands, and clucked his tongue in disappointment. "He wasn't even worth the effort."

"Well, well, well," Takumi drawled. "What do we have here?"

Ryuku glanced at Takumi and his face lit up. "It's the brat!" he announced. "I haven't seen you around in awhile. You finally crawled out of your room?"

"You should know that fighting a simpleton like that isn't fair. That guy probably wasn't even a fighter."

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at him. "Just what are you suggesting?"

"Are you really that much of a moron?"

"I'm not as dumb as you," Ryuku snorted. "You couldn't even ask the girl you liked if she had a boyfriend? Or better yet, ask her who her supposed boyfriend was? I can't believe you'd think I'd date my own flesh and blood! Talk about stupid!"

"I see that they surgically added some balls after our fight."

"How long are we going to be wasting time insulting each other? In case you haven't noticed, I've been itching to fight against a decent opponent!"

"Where'd that pacifist bullshit run off to?" Takumi asked. "If I knew this opportunity was going to show up, I would've sent you to the hospital the first time we 'fought'."

Ryuku snorted. "That was a different me! You'll see that I've changed for the better, brat. All I have to say is that I hope you don't let me down… much."

A smug smirk was on the redhead's lips when he saw Takumi leap forward for an incoming attack.

* * *

The panda hadn't moved an inch from the pond. The animal seemed to be staring intently at its own reflection, perhaps in confusion.

"I knew it wouldn't move!" Akane snapped at the general direction of the panda.

"Good. We found the panda. Now all we need is Genma." Mousse turned towards Soun. "Do you have any idea where he could be?"

Soun shook his head. "I haven't seen him since we were at the bar!"

Akane frowned. "… I kicked him out of the dojo. It wasn't easy prying the mirror away from him. I don't know where he could've run off to."

"Perhaps he went back home?" Soun suggested in a helpful manner.

"I'll go inside and call Nodoka," Akane ran into the house at a brisk pace.

Soun walked towards Dr. Tofu and Mousse. "Do you two have any idea how to fix this problem?"

Dr. Tofu shrugged. "We can already assume that the way to fix this lies within the mirror. The only problem is we have to find out how to accomplish that."

Suddenly, Genma's voice echoed throughout the outside dojo. "I _knew_ it! You're all trying to fix the greatest thing that ever happened to me!" he exclaimed. "Are you all really that stupid? Can't you see what kind of miracle has happened?"

In response, Mousse yelled back. "Haven't you noticed the way you've been acting? The mirror is doing this! This is not the way this should be happening, Genma!"

There was a brief pause, before Genma spoke again. "Alright," he sighed sounding defeated. "I understand what this is. I'm a reasonable man, who can compromise."

The door slid violently open revealing Genma standing behind it. Locked within Genma's grasp was Akane, her mouth covered by Genma's large hand. Akane struggled to free herself in vain. Genma pointed the mirror at the three men standing in the yard. The cover had been removed.

"Now Saotome," Soun said cautiously. "Is this tactic really necessary? If you're such a reasonable man, I suggest you let go of my daughter."

Genma ignored Soun, his sights locked onto the Amazon. "Mousse, I know you hate turning into an animal as much as I did. All you have to do is give the mirror a quick glance! That's it!"

"As tempting as that offer is, Genma. I'd much rather keep my curse, that mirror has obviously taken something from you." Mousse shied his eyes away from the mirror.

"You're lying!" Genma seethed. "You mean to tell me that all those times a possible cure came up—"

"Oh, I was as happy as the rest of you. I'm not saying I don't want to rid myself of the duck. I know there's a cure out there for us somewhere… but this isn't the cure we're looking for."

Genma narrowed his eyes on the Amazon. "Quit pulling your elder's leg," he scoffed. "I was going to keep this as a family secret, but… Mousse I've already said I'd make an exception." He waved the mirror around in his hand. "You will never have to worry about ending up on someone dinner plate!"

A smile went on Mousse's lips. "… You know what? You're right, Saotome. A chance like this only happens once." He approached Genma as he extended his hand out to Mousse, who quickly removed the mirror from Genma's hand.

"You dare to trick an innocent old man, boy!" Genma roared.

Genma's hold on Akane loosened enough for her to free herself by chomping Genma's hand. Genma let out a pained yell as he watched Akane take the mirror from Mousse, then ran to her father's side.

"I won't let you fix me!" Genma declared.

"Genma, we're only doing this for your own good. We need to fix this mistake you've made. Otherwise, your grandson will be stuck as he is now forever!" Dr. Tofu exclaimed.

Genma scoffed at Dr. Tofu's words. "Everyone has to make sacrifices once in awhile! The boy knew what he was getting into!"

Akane threw several large rocks at Genma. "_You jerk!_" she screamed. "Every thing's your fault!"

"A-Akane, let's not be brash here!" Dr. Tofu tried to reason. "He… _mostly_ doesn't mean what he's saying! Remember it's the effects of the mirror!"

An unnoticed gleam shone in Genma's eyes, as he realized something. "Tofu's right, my dear," slowly he walked towards the group, who tensed after each step.

"I've been having these uncontrollable urges, and I'm so sorry for what happened to my poor grandson."

"… Why should I listen to a single word that's coming out of your mouth?" Akane asked suspiciously when Genma stopped in front of them.

"That hit to the noggin really woke me up! Come on, let's go and get everything fixed up to how it was before!" Genma said with sincerity.

Soun laughed and patted Genma on the back. "Saotome, I knew that pesky mirror couldn't have its way with you!"

They started to leave the dojo, with the panda following along, when Genma suddenly snatched the mirror from Akane's hands and ran off.

As Genma fled the group dumbfounded behind, he loudly proclaimed at the top of his lungs. "As if I'd let you fools do a thing like that!"


	14. Ch 11: The Mirror of True Selves: P2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 11:** The Mirror of True Selves: Part 2

"Something's wrong here." Takumi frantically thought, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the sidewalk.

His entire body was in agonizing pain. He had been brutally beaten by Ryuku. Every little movement he made sent waves of pain throughout his body. In the beginning of the duel had started in Takumi's favor, or at least he believed so, landing all his fists on his opponent. But Takumi's mind changed when during his punch combo Ryuku dodged. Immediately, Ryuku made a hefty amount of punches. Each one of Ryuku's punches hit Takumi in rapid waves forcing the middle schooler into a defense.

At this point, Takumi couldn't recall when any of his hits landed onto Ryuku. Since Takumi had tactically separated himself from his opponent. It was just a quick break though, Takumi needed time to formulate a better strategy. Takumi was shocked at Ryuku's drastic improvement since their last encounter. He was much stronger. It was almost as if he was a completely different person. Takumi wiped his mouth with his palm, the blood seeping into his bandages. He had to see how bad his wounds were. Cautiously, Takumi checked for any signs of a redhead wandering through the crowds of people. Seeing that he was in the clear, Takumi took temporary refuge in the men's restroom.

He received a handful of stares from the others, the cause most likely from Takumi's due to his bloodied appearance. Takumi simply ignored them and walked to an unoccupied sink. His hands gripped onto the edge of the sink, as he looked over his appearance. Using a gentle touch, Takumi ran his thumb over his bleeding bottom lip. Takumi glanced over his shoulder to see that all the stalls were occupied. An annoyed scowl was on Takumi's lips, as he made his way over to the last stall and abruptly kicked the door down. He'd need something to stop the blood flow. Wordlessly, the middle schooler ignored the frightened man on the toilet, ripped out the toilet paper and reclaimed his sink.

After wetting a large wad of toilet paper, Takumi began to wipe away the dried blood at his neck and face. By the time Takumi finished up in the bathroom, he had left a pile of bloody toilet paper inside the sink. On his way out, Takumi's eyes met with a pair of blue colored eyes.

"What a coincidence!" Ryuku greeted him. He clapped one hand onto Takumi's shoulder, his grin widening slightly from the wince on the middle schooler's face. "I was just about to check up on you!"

Takumi shrugged Ryuku's hand off of him. "Were you now?"

"Of course!" he replied. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't? I wanted to make sure you didn't stain your clothes with all that blood."

Takumi's reflexes kicked in a second too late when Ryuku swung a punch at Takumi. The punch missed by only an inch.

"Whoops!" Ryuku laughed. "Don't worry, I won't miss next time!"

Takumi decided to take the offensive trying to catch the redhead off guard. A battle cry alerted many of the wandering people about the shopping centre. Shortly after, a crowd of mindlessly cheering morons surrounded them. Enthusiastic cheers came from several directions, egging the two martial artists on. The sheer volume of the crowd threw off Takumi's offensive focus. Ryuku took advantage, flashing a crowd pleasing smile, before he threw a punch at his distracted opponent. This time as Ryuku promised the punch connected. Without wasting any time, Ryuku tripped the middle schooler with a swift low kick.

As Takumi stumbled forward, attempting to quick regain his footing, Ryuku grabbed him by the back of his hair.

"Hey, Takumi," he started, his tone teasing. "I'll let you go if you can admit to all these people that you lost to _Bloody Knife Saotome_."

Takumi gritted his teeth together. "I'll never fucking admit that!"

Pleased with that answer, Ryuku dropped him onto the concrete. "Really?" he said. "I guess we better keep fighting then."

Ryuku tapped the heel of his shoe against the side of Takumi's head. He raised it up, prepared to smash the living daylights out of the middle schooler's skull when Takumi rolled away from him. Takumi landed onto his feet, slipping into a fighting stance, as he waited for Ryuku to make the next move. A smug smirk was on Ryuku's lips. The redhead mimicked Takumi's stance, before he leapt off the ground to aim a flying kick at Takumi's face. Fortunately for Takumi, he sidestepped the kick. Ryuku's foot met the chest of a random bystander, who fell to the ground like a sack of bricks. The redhead glanced down at the unconscious man. The woman next to the fallen man gawked at Ryuku.

Ryuku shifted his stare upwards to stare right into her eyes. "He should've stood somewhere else." The dark smirk he gave her before resuming the fight sent chills down the woman's spin.

It was now clear that neither one of the fighters' cared if anyone else got hurt in the middle of their brawl. In an instant, the cheers from the crowd came to an abrupt halt. Instead, terrified screams filled the air as people began to flee, not wanting to be in the middle of the two fighters.

"It's a bummer your hands aren't healed up yet," Ryuku hooked his arm around Takumi's neck and punched him in the gut. Takumi hacked up some blood, which splattered onto Ryuku's already red shirt.

Ryuku stared down at the blood. With his free hand, he touched his chest, idly looking over his reddened fingertips. A kind smile went over Ryuku's lips. "Come on," he said, his tone eerily gentle. "Do you really want to keep doing this? In case, you haven't noticed I'm the one that's in tip top shape."

Takumi yanked Ryuku's face to his level to give the redhead a bloodied loogie.

Ryuku let out a bark of amused laughter, while he dragged Takumi over to a nearby water fountain. Without releasing grasp of the boy, Ryuku used one hand to abruptly rip the water fountain out of the bricked wall. Water uncontrollably sprayed out of the piping. "Here, brat," he said, smile still on his lips. "Why don't we clean up all that blood off your face?"

Takumi saw Ryuku's eyes narrow and his smile droop into a scowl, as he was shoved into the stream gushing out of the fountain's pipe. Water went into Takumi's eyes, up his nose, and into his mouth. Blindly, Takumi roughly jabbed his elbow into Ryuku's stomach, which caused the redhead to loosen his iron hold on the middle schooler. Seizing this opportunity to escape, Takumi gave the redhead several more sharp jabs from his elbow, until the hold was enough to knock his opponent off of him.

With a harsh coughing fit and a slight blur to his vision, Takumi fell into the puddle beneath the piping. His fist rammed into the cold liquid, splashing it all over the both of them. Takumi frantically scrambled onto his feet and stumbled away from Ryuku wiping his eyes with his hands.

"Wait, brat!" Ryuku called after him. "Don't run so fast! You might fall down and crack your head open!"

Hearing the amused laughter from behind him, Takumi turned his head to yell a retort over his shoulder. However, when his eyes landed onto Ryuku, he realized a bit too late that the redhead hadn't changed into a girl. Takumi faced forward, speeding up somewhat to get the redhead off his tail.

"What the fuck?" Takumi thought. "He should be a girl right now!"

Too immersed in his thoughts, Takumi barely processed the blow to his back until his face met the harsh pavement below.

"You should really learn to respect people that are older than you."

Takumi turned his head to the side to grunt out. "You… You're not a…"

"… A what?" Ryuku finished for him. "A girl?" he laughed. "Well, what can I say? I told you I changed for the better." he grinded his shoe into Takumi's back.

"There he is!" a woman's voice suddenly cried out. "He's the one who did it!"

Takumi felt Ryuku's foot lift off his back. Although, he struggled to pick himself off of the ground. He saw that Ryuku had been pulled aside by two police officers. Talking rather animatedly with her hands was the woman from earlier. The one who had stood next to the man Ryuku had knocked done without a second thought.

"Look," Ryuku huffed. "I don't know who this lady thinks she is. I'm just a normal teenage kid."

The woman gave him a nasty scowl. "You sent my husband to the hospital!"

"No, I didn't!" he spat back. "I was just hanging out with my little brother when…" he glanced towards where he had seen Takumi last to see that the brat had run off. His lips drooped to a frown. "Aw, damn. He must've run home. He gets lost really easily, officers. I don't want to upset my mom by telling her I was the one who got him lost."

No one made a move to stop the redhead when he pushed past the two officers. The woman shouted insults at the two police officers. The taller one of the two policemen nudged the other, who had already given up on soothing the woman's fury.

"Just tell her already," the officer muttered.

The woman placed her hands on her hips. "Tell me what?"

"That kid was _Bloody Knife Saotome_," the other office informed the woman. "The best we can do is give you his mother's address. You can complain to her instead."

* * *

Finally, Akane's running came to a gradual stop. She had spent the last hour chasing after Genma, who eventually eluded them. Akane checked to see if the others were still trailing behind her. Noticing that the group was still there she waited for them to catch up. The first to catch up was Mousse, followed by Dr. Tofu, and the last her father, who seemed completely out of breath. Luckily, when Soun reached the others his daughter finished her rant.

Akane clenched her hands into fists. "I can't believe we lost him!"

Dr. Tofu patted Akane's back. "He couldn't have gotten very far, Akane."

"How do we know that?" Akane asked, trying her best not to snap at her childhood crush. "He could be anywhere right now!"

Soun raised his hand up to signal everyone's attention on him. However, he was still trying to catch his breath.

"He was so fast," Akane sighed. "I could've sworn I was _this_ close to catching up to him, but then, I don't know how it happened but, he seemed to be faster than anything!"

"You can blame the mirror for that," Mousse said. "It seems like this'll be more of a challenge than I thought."

"I don't know about that," Soun swiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Knowing Saotome, he couldn't had the intent to go far… but got distracted along the way."

Akane raised an eyebrow at her father. "Do you have any idea where a distraction like that could be, dad?"

Soun nodded. "… I may have a few ideas."

* * *

Takumi was far from the shopping centre and found himself in a quiet, and not to mention dull, neighborhood. At a slow pace, Takumi strolled down the street of the area. He didn't bother to pay attention to the houses lined up on either side of him. He kept his gaze locked onto his bandaged hands. Takumi clenched them into tight fists. If he hadn't had the bandages blocking his nails away from the skin, he probably would've been breaking skin by how harsh his grip was. It was ridiculous that such a hindrance was preventing him from using _The Breaking Point_.

"I would've won that fight fair and square if I had used it," the image of Ryuku wearing that smug smirk on his lips plagued Takumi's mind. He would've beaten that smirk off his face easily. He _should've_ been able to. "That bastard wouldn't have been so smug then."

He contemplated testing the technique out then and there; however, the woman surgeon at the hospital, whose name Takumi hadn't bothered to remember, had checked out his hands told him otherwise.

When she had looked over his X-rays, bandaged up his hands, and prescribed him some painkillers, she looked him right into the eyes and said. "I wouldn't recommend doing anything stupid until your hands are completely healed up."

Takumi scowled. "What the hell does that woman know? She isn't anything close to a martial artist."

It was unnecessary to spend his time dwelling on the issue. With his right hand, he extended his index finger and without any hesitance on his part struck the road. Pieces of black tar flung up in the air around the middle schooler, while an agonized scream ripped from his throat. Tears sprung into his eyes, he grabbed onto his injured hand, and spat out long curses as he rode out the pain. His tears streamed down his cheeks, angrily inspecting the damage he had done. The crater certainly wasn't his best work. In fact, it was probably his worst. He gritted his teeth together and smashed his fist into the road, attempting to make the hole bigger by using his fists.

"You know," an amused voice started. "You really shouldn't be doing that sort of stuff in a neighborhood like this."

Takumi stiffened from hearing Ryuku's voice. Immediately, he stood on guard and searched for him. "Are you going to just keep hiding from me?"

Ryuku snorted. "Hiding?" he repeated through a chuckle. "I'm not the one that ran away from a fight."

"I didn't run away!"

"Whatever you say, brat," Ryuku revealed himself to the other by jumping out of the tree he was perched on. He jammed his hands into his pants pockets, casually making his way over to Takumi. "So, are we still going to fight or what?"

Takumi scooped up a handful of gravel in his hand and hurled the pieces at the redhead. "Of course we are!"

Ryuku ducked down to avoid the rocks. "Awesome!" he jumped back to dodge Takumi's kick.

Already disgruntled, Takumi gave the street another punch. As tar flew up into the air, Takumi used a quick chain of punches to send the tar flying in Ryuku's direction. Ryuku danced through the pieces heading his way to give his opponent a roundhouse kick. The kick connected with Takumi's side, sending the middle schooler airborne for a several seconds before he landed onto a yard. The grass didn't make his landing any softer. Takumi grabbed a patch of grass; furiously he ripped the grass from the earth. He heaved himself up, throwing the clot onto the ground, before charging at Ryuku. The redhead simply smiled and patiently waited for his opponent's attack.

However, Takumi stuck out his middle finger right before he jammed the road with the extended finger. Ryuku raced through the rubble, the pricks from the gravel that scratched his face nothing compared to if _The Breaking Point_ was used to at its full potential. Takumi growled in annoyance as Ryuku dealt with the technique with no problem. He used it another time, ignoring the pain that had started shooting up and down his arm, and cursed seeing that blood had started to bleed through the bandages.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Ryuku asked.

"Shut up!" Takumi snarled. "Stop pretending that it's not causing you any pain!"

"I don't have to pretend," Ryuku laughed. "Your beloved _Breaking Point_ is useless!"

"You'll see how useless it is when I use it the right way!" he poised all four fingers above the street, feigning ignorance to how his arm was shaking uncontrollably. "I'll fucking make you eat those words!"

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "Don't be such an idiot. How am I supposed to fight you when you only have one arm?" he paused. "Well, I _could_ still fight you. But then I'd just feel like I was beating up a cripple."

Takumi brought his hand away from the street. "No. You want me to fuck up my hand."

"You already did all that by yourself, brat."

It wasn't long before the streets of the neighborhood were heavily destroyed along with several front yards. Ryuku couldn't help but admire their handy work. A delighted laugh escaped his lips at the havoc they were causing. Ryuku shot his hand out to wrap around Takumi's neck. He gazed down at the middle schooler, a dark smirk across his lips, as he began to slowly squeeze Takumi's air supply away.

"How did I ever lose to you?" he inquired, although there was no hint of curiosity in his voice. His hand gripped harder, eyes narrowed as he watched Takumi choke. "I lost to some stupid brat that relies on using his father's technique. Jeez, how pathetic is that?"

Takumi clawed at Ryuku's hand. His nails dug into his skin, creating fresh wounds that would probably scar.

"_Ryuku!_"

The redhead didn't bother to check who had called out his name. "Ayano, do you mind?"

"Ryuku, what's…?" Ayano couldn't look at the scene before her. She couldn't accept this. Was he really the one who had caused so much damage? "Let go of him! You're going to kill him!"

Ryuku looked over his shoulder. "Why should I?" he asked childishly. "Are _you_ going to stop me if I don't? What can you do besides cook up a meal every now and then? I'll tell you what: absolutely nothing."

Using his dominate hand, Takumi tapped his finger onto Ryuku's hand. A pained yelp came from Ryuku, who released his grip on Takumi's neck.

He rubbed at his hand, shooting Takumi an annoyed glare. "That was an awfully annoying pinch."

Takumi held onto his throat as he coughed. He stood his ground when Ryuku began to advance on him, a violent glint in his eyes.

Without warning, Ayano jumped up to wrap her arms around Ryuku's neck. "Go!" she screamed. "Run away!"

"Are you kidding me?" Ryuku growled, before he abruptly removed Ayano's off of him and pushed her aside. The push had enough force in it for Ayano to fall onto the ground. "You really annoy me."

When he saw Takumi had fled once again, he gave Ayano the coldest glare he could muster. "Thanks for nothing."

* * *

The group stood outside one of the largest buffets in Nerima. It wasn't a restaurant Akane ate at often, due to how crowded the buffet was each day and how expensive it was. The line seemed like it hadn't moved at all. Akane crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot onto the sidewalk. She wasn't a very patient woman. Ranma had been sure to always tell her that little fact every chance he could get. Next to her, her dad was drooling from the various smells that wafted away from the buffet. Dr. Tofu had been on the phone with Kasumi ever since they got in line. Mousse had taken it upon himself to entertain the hungry customers in line by performing magic tricks, while he incorporated the panda into several of his tricks.

Akane checked the time on her wristwatch. "Are you sure he's even in there, dad?"

"I'm positive, Akane," Soun said with an affirmative nod. "If there's one thing that I've known about Saotome after all these years, is that he'd much rather deal with filling his stomach than settle family affairs."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't act like you're any better." Her eyes went onto the line of drool that was running down his chin.

Immediately, Soun wiped his chin clean with the back of his hand. "T-That's not what we should be focusing on right now, Akane!" he cried. "I'm positive that Saotome is in there!"

By the time they had finally reached the buffet, an hour and a half had already gone by. The hostess standing behind a podium looked up at the group. With a presumably mandatory smile, she asked the party if they had a reservation.

Dr. Tofu had gotten off the phone a few minutes ago was the one to step forward. "Was there by any chance a rather… large man here? He may have had a mirror with him."

* * *

Ryou wondered what happened to Ryuku. He had texted him a few days ago. But that wasn't what the problem was. Usually, the redhead was quick to reply to his texts, but there were times when it would take Ryuku quite awhile to respond. The lost boy figured his friend was busy at the moment or just chose not to answer him. He made an effort to focus on the handheld game Ryuku had given to him as a way to pass the time in a boring hospital room. Ryuku had given Ryou props the first time he had seen him attempt to play the videogame. Ryou was a bit clumsy, only using his good hand for everything, and even though he kept losing, he still managed to get pretty far.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. There was the chance that it was Ryuku but he wasn't much for surprise. His friend usually told him if he was coming for a visit. It could be someone from his family. Although, there was a low chance it could be his father, due to his frequent unplanned travels. Otherwise it would most likely be his mother.

Ryou turned off the videogame and set it down next to the vase of flowers Lotion had gotten him. "It could be Lotion," his subconscious informed him, but Ryou knew better than that.

"Come in."

When the door opened, Lotion ambled inside the room with a bright smile and her hands behind her back. Although, she wore a white polka dotted yellow dress, she still managed to wear the dress in an elegant manner. For once, the young Amazon's long purple hair was done up in a braid. Immediately, Ryou felt the blood rush to his cheeks.

Lotion placed her hand on the top of the vacated chair next to Ryou's bed. "I hope you don't mind another surprise visit from me, Ryou."

"N-no, I would never—" it was during times like these that Ryou wouldn't mind having Ryuku around. Although, it pained him to see the girl he liked hanging all over his best friend, at least he wouldn't be making a fool of himself. "What are you, um," he laughed nervously. "What bring you here on such a lovely afternoon, L-Lotion?"

Her eyes glanced over to the window that had the curtains pulled aside to let the sunlight spill inside the hospital room. "The weather today is lovely," Lotion agreed. "It's a shame you can't be outside to enjoy it."

"I wouldn't worry about me too much," Ryou said, after he managed to calm himself down. "I have plenty of chances to go outside. It's just a hassle to have someone bring a wheelchair every time I feel like getting some fresh air."

"Maybe we can borrow a wheelchair?" she suggested. "I wouldn't mind wheeling you around. The flowers in their garden are beautiful! You really should see them, Ryou!"

"T-That sounds like a great idea, Lotion."

"I made you a present. Well, a get well present," Lotion brought her hands away from her back. In her hands she held onto a neatly wrapped gift. "It'll last longer than those flowers I gave you last time." She glanced at the drooping flowers on Ryou's nightstand.

Ryou couldn't believe it. Lotion had gone out of her way to make _him_ a present? This was almost too good to be true. Something like this could only happen in dreams. A horrified expression washed over his face.

"What is this is a dream?" was the horrid thought that now plagued his mind. Lotion placed her hand over his good one. She turned his palm over to place the gift onto his palm. "Oh god, if this is, I hope I never wake up."

Lotion took a seat and patiently waited for Ryou to unwrap her present. Slowly, Ryou began to carefully unpeel the wrapping paper, it seemed like Lotion made it easy for him to unwrap the gift with one hand. Lotion's handmade gift turned out to be a scarf. A hand knitted scarf that was a mellow shade of light blue with intricate designs all over the soft yarn. The lost boy opened his mouth to tell his crush just how much he loved his present; however, he wasn't able to form any words.

"I know it's too warm to wear a scarf right now," Lotion said. "But since you get lost… sometimes, I thought you'd need it if you suddenly found yourself lost in a cold place."

Ryou couldn't help but think that perhaps there was the slight chance that Lotion _could_ like him back.

However, the next words that came from the Amazon's mouth immediately changed his mind. "I made a sweater for Ryuku."

Lotion pulled a sweater out of nowhere. The sweater was made with the same yarn as Ryou's scarf, but it was obvious that Lotion had poured her heart and soul into knitting that sweater for his best friend. Ryou couldn't help but eye the piece of clothing with jealousy and envy shining in his eyes.

"Ryuku hasn't show up for work the last few days, and I thought I'd find him here."

Ryou ignored the jealousy that had settled in his stomach. "… That doesn't sound like him," he said. "Did he call in sick?"

"My mother's told me she hasn't received any calls from him."

He ran his hand over the scarf. "Guess you're pretty worried about him."

Suddenly, another voice intruded on their conversation. "Am I interrupting something here?"

The two looked to see Ryuku in his girl form standing in the doorway.

As if on cue, Lotion's face lit up. "Ryuku!" cheerfully, she leapt over her chair to bring Ryuku into a hug. "You look so pretty today!"

Ryuku ended their hug as soon as it started. "I'd like it much better if you called me Ryoko," she informed the Amazon matter-of-factly. "Ryuku isn't a very ladylike name."

Ryou stared at his friend oddly. "… You didn't say you were going to visit me today, Ryu—Ryoko."

Ryoko beamed at her friend. "I thought I'd surprise you!"

"I can see that, and I can also see that you…" Ryou skimmed over Ryoko's appearance, missing the girl blush under his gaze. "Went all out this time with your getup, and you told me you wouldn't wear a dress for me."

She waved a dismissive hand at Ryou. "Oh, you big silly!" Ryoko giggled cutely behind a loosely clenched fist.

Ryou flinched. "Big silly?" he mumbled to himself.

Ryoko skipped around Lotion, who seemed to be puzzled about something. The girl plopped down onto Lotion's seat and without warning let out a loud squeal that made Ryou jump in his bed. "What a cute scarf!"

Lotion's confusion fizzled away from Ryoko's outburst. She stood at Ryoko's side and watched as Ryoko neatly put the scarf around her neck. "Do you like it?"

Ryoko nodded, fingers curled into the yarn. "It's really cute."

"I'm glad," Lotion smiled. "I made you a sweater." Once again, the sweater appeared out of nowhere. She laid it over Ryoko's lap.

"… How thoughtful of you," Ryoko looked over the sweater in her hands. "But I'm afraid I can't accept it."

Lotion's smile drooped to a frown. "… I see," she murmured. "I guess I'll take it back then."

Ryou bristled at how coldly his friend how turned down Lotion's gift. "Ryuku, how can you say that? Lotion worked really hard on making that—"

"Why are you yelling at me?" Ryoko sniffled. "Wouldn't it be weird if a girl takes a gift like that? That sweater's meant for a boy! Do I look like a boy to you, Ryou?"

"What did you say?" Ryou stammered. Just what the hell was going on with his best friend?

Ryoko turned towards Lotion with her arms crossed over her chest. "And listen here you," she hissed. "I don't like girls! I also don't appreciate that you're trying to seduce _my_ Ryou!"

Ryou's face paled. "Y-Your Ryou?"

A blush was on Ryoko's cheeks. "Oh, did I really just say that?" she blinked. "I-I'm sorry! This is so embarrassing!"

The Amazon pursed her lips. "I'll be right back," she announced more to herself than the other two and left the room.

Ryou couldn't fathom what was going on. "What the hell has gotten over you, Ryuku?"

"You're such a kidder, Ryou Hibiki!" Ryoko giggled. "I don't care if you get lost all the time, or turn into a cute little piglet! I'll like you just the same!"

"Ryuku, you're really creeping me out right now."

"What did I say about calling me that boy's name?" she sighed, even going out of her way to puff her cheeks. "It's Ryoko. Just think of your name, and add a –ko to the end. It's that simple."

"… What the hell's going on here, Ryuku?"

"I know you've liked me, Ryou," Ryoko murmured shyly. "You've liked me ever since we were little kids," she leaned forward to hold onto Ryou's hand with both of her own. "Remember?"

Ryou's whole face went red. "Oh my god! I-I was only a kid!" he shrieked, as he quickly yanked his hand out of Ryoko's grasps. "Did you really think I'd understand the concept of my best friend turning into a girl that fast?"

"You've had a crush on me for the longest time!" his friend protested. She pouted and stomped her feet against tiled floor childishly. "Way longer than that slut."

"Hey! Don't call her that!"

"How can you defend her?" Ryoko asked. "_I'm_ your first love!"

"I-It was nothing more than a childhood crush!" Ryou screamed. "Right when I found out that you and the girl I liked were the same, I got over it!" he grabbed onto the front of his shirt, desperately trying to regain his composure. "I thought we agreed to never bring this up again, Ryuku!"

Ryoko's pout fell into a displeased frown. "How can I forget something like that?" she asked. "The first girl you ever liked was _me_! Not that Amazon harpy but me!"

Ryou flopped down onto his bed. He fingered the edge of his pillow case, seriously considering smothering himself. "This is the worst dream of my life."

"Ryou, I—" the end of Ryoko's sentence trailed off into a loud squeal.

The lost boy lifted his head up to see Lotion pour hot water from the kettle over Ryoko. When the last drop of water plopped on Ryoko's head, a flabbergasted squeak left Ryou's mouth. The warm liquid didn't change his friend back.

"As I thought," Lotion said. "Something must've happened to you, Ryuku."

A furious growl came from Ryoko as she rose up from her chair. "Not only did you ruin my dress, but you ruined my moment with Ryou! I'm not one for violence, but I just can't let this go!"

"Wait a second!" Ryou called out. "What's going on here?" he looked at Lotion for answers, but the Amazon was busy with Ryoko, who had already initiated the first attack.

* * *

This was the second time he allowed himself to escape from a fight that should've already ended a long time ago. Takumi lightly rubbed at the reddened skin around his neck. He winced; the sensation of Ryuku's hand wrapped around his neck still remained. The next time he saw that redhead he'd make sure to finish the fight off right away. Takumi found himself in a familiar area. The smell of his mother's okonomiyaki was close. Takumi lost himself in the scent of his mother's cooking, allowing a surprise attack from behind the boy which sent him onto the ground.

Ryuku's laughter rang in Takumi's ears. "Found you, brat!"

Takumi picked himself off the ground, tossing a glare over his shoulder at the grinning redhead.

They were both quick to pick where they had left off last time during their fight. However, Takumi couldn't stand keeping this up for much longer, since his body was starting to reach its limit.

"You're looking pretty worn out, brat," he teases. "Maybe it's about time you throw in the towel?"

"Shut up!"

"You can always just run away. I promise, I won't go after you this time, especially since this fight doesn't seem like it's going anywhere."

"_Shut up!_ Just shut your stupid mouth!"

"What's wrong brat? Can't admit defeat that easily?"

Takumi threw another punch. "I am going to beat you! I know you must've done something to get this strong!"

"Why can't you just admit that I'm stronger than you, Takumi? It's not that hard to say."

"Why should I have to admit anything?"

"Because then you don't have to embarrass yourself anymore." Ryuku jumped away when Takumi swung another punch. "Come on, let's call it quits, brat," he said. "I don't want to send you to the hospital or anything."

"Worry about yourself, moron!"

Ryuku caught Takumi's wrist and spun around to heave him over his shoulder. Takumi was sailing through the air, heading for a restaurant. He protected his face with his arms, before crashing into the wall of the eatery. Takumi groaned, the toss had him crash and slide off of a table, and roughly land onto the front of the stove. He rubbed the back of his head that had bashed into the wood of the wood stove. The smell of cooking batter sizzling above him caused another curse to leave Takumi's lips.

The middle schooler clumsily got onto his feet. He refused to meet his mother's eyes. His mother stood behind the stove with a spatula poised one hand and a container of sauce in the other. Takumi checked the restaurant. Aside from the new hole next to the entrance of the restaurant, the place was empty. Usually his mother's customers flocked over to the Cat Café.

Ukyo turned off the stove, after setting down everything, and walked around to cup her hand on the side of her son's face. "Takumi," she murmured. "When did you—how did—_what happened to you?_" she patted her hands down all over his body, not noticing him wince from all the wounds he had gotten from the redhead.

She grabbed onto his left hand—the one he had used for _The Breaking Point_—and stared right into Takumi's eyes. "You've been using your father's technique haven't you? After Dr. Wasabi said not to, and you did it anyway!"

Takumi shoved her away from him. "Don't touch me," he hissed. "I don't care about what some stupid doctor tells me. I'm going to do whatever I want, anyway."

"Well, what about that?" she pointed at the new decoration in her wall. "Could you at least explain why you just crashed through my wall?"

"What does it matter?" Takumi scoffed. "No one comes to this shithole anyway."

"Do I need to remind you that _you_ work in this so called shithole?"

Takumi kept silent.

"Sugar," Ukyo put her hand on her son's shoulder. "Can you please tell me what's going on?"

"Why hello there, Mrs. Hibiki," Ryuku greeted Ukyo with a sheepish grin. He scratched at the back of his neck, as he eyed the damage Takumi did. "I didn't mean to throw your son at your restaurant. I've never really been good with my aim."

Ukyo stared the redhead, a puzzled expression on her face. "You mean, you and Takumi are—"

"Having a nice sparring match!" Ryuku finished for her cheerfully. "Now, if you'll just let me borrow your son for a few more seconds, we'll be able to finally finish this match."

"Takumi, come here for a sec," Ukyo's hand shot forward and grabbed her son forward, before he could protest. Her eyes looked over the wounds on his neck, the forming bruises on his neck, the dirtied condition on his clothes. A frown went on her lips, as she inspected both of Takumi's bloodied bandaged hands.

Takumi wrenched his hands away from his mother and turned away from her. Ukyo gave Ryuku a smile, before she resumed her spot behind the stove.

"Say, you look like you haven't had a meal in awhile," Ukyo told Ryuku. "Why don't you let me whip you up something? It'll be on the house!"

Ryuku shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, Mrs. Hibiki, but—" he was suddenly cut off by the bag of flour that smacked onto his face.

The bag fell onto the wooden floors with a dull thud. A faint sheet of white flour covered Ryuku's face. His eyebrows knitted together, confusion written all over his features, as he stared at Ukyo. A large spatula hovered at least an inch away from Ryuku's face.

"Something's definitely wrong here," Ukyo kept her eyes trained on the redhead, who had now held his hands up in front of him defensively. "Ryuku's a nice kid. He wouldn't do something like _that_ to my son. You may look like Akane's kid, but I can already tell something's wrong with you."

"Mother, butt out!" Takumi growled with his hands clenched into fists. "This is my fight, so I'll deal with it myself!"

"No can do, sugar."

Takumi's jaw clenched. "Don't call me such a stupid pet name!"

"In case you haven't noticed, _sugar_, you're about to keel over," Ukyo said. "Besides, after all that's happened before, I just wouldn't be able to call myself your mother if I let you do something stupid again."

Ryuku turned his head to Takumi to raise an eyebrow at him. "You're going to let your mom take over for you?" he laughed. "That's fine with me. Maybe your mom will be a much better opponent."

"Takumi, don't just stand there," his mother said sternly. "Go home. Since your nothing like your dad or your brother, I know you should be able make it home with no problem."

Begrudgingly, Takumi left his mother's restaurant. But just to spite his mother he'd be sure to ignore her orders.

* * *

When they were finally allowed into the buffet they find Genma hunched over a table and stuffing his face. Akane could only watch in disgust as he devoured plate after plate of food. There were empty plates and bowls stacked all over the table. Akane marched up to Genma's table and slammed her hands down onto the top of the table, causing all the dirty dishes to bounce and clack loudly.

"Genma, I'm surprised," Akane drawled, sounding eerily calm. She stared at her father-in-law with a half-lidded stare. "You actually have money on you this time?"

"Don't be so naïve, girl," Genma snorted around a mouthful of food. "I had Tendo's card on me."

Akane lowered herself until she was at Genma's eye level. "You know why we're here, Genma."

Again, Genma let out another rude snort. "Of course, I know." He swallowed his mouthful, and was quick to shovel the remains of the food on his plate in his mouth. "But _you_ should know that I'm not going to be giving you the mirror anytime soon."

Soun rushed next to his daughter and mimicked Akane's earlier action, harshly slamming his palms on the table. "Saotome!" he cried. "I demand you give me my card back."

Akane frowned at her father, who shrunk away from her glowering gaze. "Dad now is not the time for that."

With an obedient nod, Soun whipped his head towards his old friend. "What I mean to say, Saotome, is that you best give us back that mirror!"

The rest of Akane's group joined the table shortly after Soun's exclaim. Dr. Tofu patted Soun on the back, before he faced Genma with a serious expression on his face.

"Genma, we need to find a way to fix this mess." Dr. Tofu informed Genma, who simply rolled his eyes.

Genma banged his fist onto the edge of the table. "How many times do I need to repeat myself?" he growled. "I don't want to be fixed! I'm happy as I am now: a real, one hundred percent man." With an indignant air around him, Genma rose to his feet, wiping away at his mouth with a half clean napkin and over exaggeratedly dropped it on top of a mini mountain of plates. "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go grab myself another plate."

Akane hadn't bothered to wait until her father-in-law had left the area. Genma had left the top of his gi over his chair. She snatched it and began to search the article of clothing in her hand.

A laugh came from Genma. "Look all you want my dear," he chuckled. "You won't find it."

When Genma returned back to his table carrying a load of plates in his arms, he had found much to his annoyance that Akane and the others had taken the empty seats around his table. Snootily, Genma turned his nose away the group, before dropping the plates down. With a stubborn scowl, Genma ignored their glares as he continued to eat his fill.

As he was about to start to his third to last plate, a worker suddenly approached Genma and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir," he started in a polite manner. "But I believe that _guest_ belongs to you?" he pointed at the eating area of the buffet.

Akane leaned forward, the others at the table following after her face, to see the panda causing a disruption in the restaurant. The animal had taken a spot sitting in the middle of the area, while crawling over to a food cart to scoop some food on its paw to stuff its face.

"Who knew that panda would end up being useful?" Akane thought, a pleased smirk on her lips.

A sound of disgust came from Genma, as he picked up the rest of his steak with his bare hands. "I've never seen that… thing before in my entire life."

The worker gave Genma a look. "If you can't control your… friend," he said his polite demeanor fading. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Genma snorted. "He's not my problem."

"Sir, I don't want to have to tell you again." the worker told Genma, who continued to feign obliviousness.

"And I don't want to have to tell _you_ again." Genma shot back.

For the next several minutes, Akane merrily listened as her father-in-law and the worker continued to noisily bicker. In the end, Genma had to be escorted out of the buffet, while everyone else trailed behind him. Genma scratched his chin as he petted his stomach, mumbling things under his breath.

Akane took hold of the back of his gi and yanked him back. "Where's the mirror?"

Genma glanced over at his daughter-in-law. "My lips are sealed." He ran his index and thumb over his lips, miming the action of closing a zipper.

Like he had down earlier, Soun stood next to Akane, and also took hold of his gi. "Saotome, I'd like my card back."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Tendo." Genma shrugged.

Soun's eyes narrowed at him. "_Saotome!_"

Suddenly, the door to the buffet slid open and the panda walked outside with a bit of a skip to its step, while it chomped down on a large chicken leg. A snarl came from Genma. He shook off Akane's and Soun's hands to turn around and point an accusing finger at the bear.

"You lousy pig! I was kicked out because of you!" Genma growled, he marched up in front of the animal and took hold of its fur. "The first thing I should've done was taken you to the damn zoo!"

Akane crossed her arms over her chest. "It turned out to be more helpful than you."

Genma pushed the panda onto the sidewalk. He stomped over to Akane and gave her a glare. "What was that, girl?"

She lifted her head back to give Genma a glare of her own. "You heard me."

Dr. Tofu approached the two. "Genma, let's not do this. All we need is that mirror. Maybe after all of this is settled, we can all go out to eat! Doesn't that sound like a good idea?"

Genma shifted his glare over at the doctor. "You'll never get it from me. Do you all hear me? You won't be getting anything out of me!"

"And you wonder why your son won't come back?" Akane jeered. "It's because of all these stupid stunts you keep pulling!"

"Keep quiet, girl!" Genma seethed.

"Why should I?" she questioned. "I'm not the one who dragged Ranma all the way to a cursed training ground in China! At least if I was going to be spending quite some time in an area, I'd be sure to learn _some_ of the language!"

"I suppose the boy taught you how to pin the blame on others?" Genma asked. "I haven't done anything besides being a good father for my son."

"_Please!_ You traded Ranma off for food! You taught him a technique that he gives him an irrational fear of cats! You got him plenty of fiancés all because of stupid mistakes you've done!"

"Even if I did do all those things," Genma started. "Ranma was the one who chose to leave his family. Was I the one who put him up to that? No! He made that decision all by himself!" he shook his head at Akane. "Say all those hurtful things to me, my dear, for the boy was the one who did the greatest stunt of all."

Akane's head lowered as she stared down at the ground. Her hands slowly turned into trembling fists.

Her father wrapped an arm around her. "Saotome, don't you think that was too far?"

"I only said what the girl was asking to hear," Genma shrugged. "Why should I let her badmouth me when the boy's not any better?"

With a battle cry, Akane whipped her head up while unclenching her fists, and pushed Genma down onto his back. Genma huffed, mostly in aggravation, and got back onto his feet. Idly, he began to brush the dust off of the sleeves of his gi. As Akane began a shouting match with her father-in-law, Mousse nudged Dr. Tofu in the side and gestured at Genma.

"Tofu," Mousse said. "Do you see that?"

Dr. Tofu adjusted his glasses. "See what?"

In the left pant leg of Genma's gi, there was something beginning to fall down. Genma was oblivious of this as he prepared to give Akane a long rant. Mousse and Dr. Tofu shared a look, before watching as the object continued its long journey down the length of Genma's leg. Eventually, while in the middle of Akane's animated angry outburst, the mirror fell to the ground.

Immediately, Akane's mouth shut as she dropped her gaze to the floor.

Mousse was the first one to break the silence. "You kept the mirror… in your pants?"

Still, Genma was oblivious of everything. "I don't know what you're—"

Akane copied her previous move and sent Genma back onto his back. Not wasting a single second, she snatched the mirror. "Come on!" she cried, running off with the others following her.

"Saotome's chasing us!" Soun shouted.

"Of course he is!" Akane shouted back. "He isn't going to let us take it! Not after all the trouble he put us through!"

Dr. Tofu cut in. "This is perfect! With Genma after us, we'll be able to fix this with no problem at all!"

"You mean, you know how the mirror works?" Akane asked, not bothering to hide her excitement. "We can fix everything?"

"Well, not exactly," Dr. Tofu laughed nervously. "But we have everything we need now don't we?"

"We have the panda with us right?" Mousse asked.

Soun checked over his shoulder. "The panda's behind Genma!"

Akane's shoulders dropped. "Hopefully, it'll also have Genma's new and improved speed."

* * *

Lotion spun in the air, managing to avoid Ryoko's flying kick, and flawlessly landed onto the grass. Towards the beginning of the brawl, Ryoko had given Lotion a hard kick that sent her crashing out of Ryou's window. Besides, minimal injury from glass shards, Lotion was able to land onto the grass below with no difficulty.

The Amazon crouched into a stance. "What happened to you, Ryuku?" she asked. "I just want to help you."

Ryoko laughed. "You can help me by getting out of here."

Lotion launched into an attack. She bounced off of her feet, aiming to strike at Ryoko's chest and arms. However, Ryoko's hand thrust out and grabbed onto her braid. Lotion cried out in pain when the girl began to yank her forward, delivering a hard slap across her face. She already knew due to Ryoko's much smaller and petite in her cursed form, she gained much more agility and speed. But Lotion hadn't expected Ryoko to become this quick.

"It's such a shame," Ryoko sighed. "I'm usually such a lovely girl," she glanced over to Ryou's broken window. "I guess a thing called 'love' really does change a person."

"Ryoko, don't you know anything about me?" Lotion asked. The girl in front of her narrowed her eyes at her, and forced her onto her knees. "You should know I don't feel… _that way_ towards Ryou."

Ryoko scowled and yanked Lotion's braid even harder. "I don't believe you. You knew what you were doing. You _tempted_ him. Do you know how heartbreaking it is to see him crush after a girl that'll never like him back?"

Lotion's eyes went over to the window. "… I was only trying to be a friend."

"A friend?" Ryoko echoed, humorlessly. "What kind of friend gives someone false hope?"

"I didn't! I-I wasn't doing," Lotion shook her head. "I just wanted to—"

"Wanted to what?" she interjected. "Use him to get closer to Ryuku?"

"_No!_ That's not—"

"Girls like you are all the same."

Lotion's eyes blurred with tears. "You don't know anything about me," she said. "You're not Ryuku."

"That's right," Ryoko nodded. "I'm _Ryoko_. But I don't have to be him to understand what your intentions are towards poor Ryou."

Lotion's hands grabbed at the fabric of her dress, teardrops landing on her fingers. Ryoko placed her index finger underneath Lotion's chin and slowly tilted the Amazon's head back.

"Are you crying?" she teased. "Sorry. Ryuku isn't here to save you."

Lotion furiously wiped away her tears. She was taught better than this. "That's alright," she told Ryoko. "I can take care of myself."

She already knew what the outcome of the fight would be. Ryoko had the upper hand even before the fight started. But that didn't mean she couldn't try. What kind of Amazon would she be if she just let this happen?

Ryoko removed the leaves that had gotten onto her dress. "I don't want to get any blood on my dress, so let's not be too violent, okay? That wouldn't be very ladylike."

In response, Lotion simply nodded her head, and leapt up to bounce off the tree to use as extra force. She lifted a fist up, her target at Ryoko's face. Suddenly, a song played into the tense air. It was a ringtone. Ryoko sidestepped Lotion's attack and opened her handbag to fetch her phone. She checked the call ID. It was Ayano.

"Let's call a quick break!" she announced, before flipping her phone opening and giving Ayano a cheerful greeting over the phone. Within a few minutes, Ryoko returned wearing a pout. "I've got to go."

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business," Ryoko scoffed, as she slipped her phone back into her handbag. "I wasn't in the mood to keep fighting anyway. Fighting isn't something girls like us should do."

Lotion sent a mental apology to Ryou. She had to figure out just what was going on with Ryuku.

* * *

"Give me that mirror!"

All of Genma's threats were ignored as Akane dashed down the streets of Nerima. Mousse glanced back to see the distance between their group and Genma. Unfortunately, Genma was starting to gain on them, while the panda seemed to get further and further behind.

"Akane!" Mousse shouted. "We can't keep running forever! We're going to have to distract him!"

Dr. Tofu nodded in agreement. "He's right, Akane. We're only wasting our energy if we keep running. You and Mousse distract Genma, while Soun and I try to figure out how the mirror works."

Akane shook her head. "Bad plan!"

"What's the problem?" Dr. Tofu asked.

"I haven't had time to train!" Akane huffed. "All my focus has been on earning money to keep the dojo! The only exercise I've been doing is jogging!"

"That's alright," Mousse declared. "I should be able to hold him off for awhile! Leave everything to me. You three figure out what to do."

Mousse turned around to ran at Genma, while he unzipped his jacket to reach inside. He pulled out a clucking chicken, which quickly began to lay eggs onto Mousse's free hand. Mousse flung the eggs towards Genma. The eggs exploded with a loud boom as they collided with the ground. Genma blindly charged through the explosions caused by the eggs. When he reached Mousse, he knocked the chicken and eggs out of his hands, before giving him a punch to the face. Genma blinked in confusion when his fist met the head of a tanuki statue.

"Up here, Genma!" Genma dropped his head back to see Mousse descending down towards him with steel claws on the tips of his shoes. "_Hawk's Talon!_"

The hard blow to his chest sent Genma onto his back. Chains and ropes shot out from Mousse's jackets sleeves. In a short amount of time, Genma found himself bound onto the ground.

Mousse turned his head over to call out to the others. "I've got him!" he noticed Genma starting to struggle with his bonds. "Hurry before he gets free!"

Akane shook Dr. Tofu, who was intently looking over the mirror, by his sleeve. "Dr. Tofu, do you have any idea how to fix this?"

Dr. Tofu sighed. "I'm afraid not, Akane. I need more time."

"I won't be defeated that easily!" Genma declared. He leapt back onto his feet, jerking his body back to send Mousse in his direction.

Mousse released the chains and ropes. As Genma ran towards him, Mousse reached into his pants pocket for a duck shaped lighter, while he magically produced a jug of liquor. With a simple press of a button, a small flame was created from the lighter. Mousse then took a swig from the jug promptly dropping it as he cupped the side of the device with his hand. He then inhaled deeply, before exhaling a large amount of air. Heading towards Genma at a rapid pace was a large blast of fire. Genma was engulfed in the blast, the fire attacking the cloth of his gi. At the same time, Mousse pulled out a large canister of gasoline and ran around Genma, pouring the fuel in a circular pattern, enclosing the two within a large ring of fire.

"Let's try this again, Genma!" Mousse announced. The top of the blaze opened, revealing Mousse plummeting towards him. "_Hawk's Talon!"_

"I won't fall for the same thing twice!" Genma dodged Mousse, grabbed the back of his jacket, and threw him onto the concrete.

Before Mousse hit the ground, he tossed two eggs over his shoulder. Both of them hit Genma's chest. The fire around the two seemed to be working in Mousse's favor. The heat from the flames made Genma sweat and gasp for air. However, the flames affected Mousse as well, who seemed to be getting the worst from the flames due to his attire.

Akane gasped when both Mousse and Genma disappeared into the fire. "Dr. Tofu, give me the mirror!" she grabbed the mirror out of Dr. Tofu's hands and ran off towards the inferno.

"Akane, wait!" Dr. Tofu yelled after her. "We still don't know how it works!"

"We'll figure it out somehow!" Akane shouted back. She dashed towards the flames, holding a hand up to protect her face from the licking heat. "Mousse! Genma!"

Meanwhile, in the middle of the fire, Mousse was in the middle of dodging Genma's constant attacks. The only water tool he had on him would cause him to change into a duck, which wouldn't be very helpful during the fight. It looked like he was going to be stuck in the ring of fire, until he could think of a better plan.

Akane took a deep breath, before running into the flames. "Genma, I've got your mirror right here!" she announced, waving the mirror around in front of her.

Immediately, Genma lost his interest in fighting the Amazon. "Now, child, let's be nice to our elders, and give me back the mirror."

"You want it that badly?" Akane asked. She threw the mirror over the flames with all her might. "Then go catch it!"

Genma ran after the mirror.

Akane helped Mousse up to his feet. "Was this fire really such a great idea?"

"I've got something that should put out the flames," Mousse said. "The only problem is I won't be very helpful if we use it."

"… I don't think _we'll _be very helpful if we both die."

Mousse nodded and pulled out a sprinkler. A large gush of water blasted from the sprinkler, instantly putting the flames out. A wet duck quaked up at Akane, who picked up the animal in her arms.

"That's alright," she said. "I still have the mirror." To prove that she did, she took out the mirror from her shirt.

A quack of confusion came from Mousse.

"I threw a shard of glass I found on the street."

"Akane! How dare you trick me?" Genma roared.

Suddenly, the panda came jogging behind Genma. Akane held up the mirror in defense unaware that the two of them both looked into the mirror at the same time. A brief flash was in the air and a sound not unlike a door closing loudly. When the flash vanished, standing in confusion was Genma. Genma appeared to be in a bit of a daze looking directly and deeply into the mirror.

"What's going on here?" he asked looking at Akane for answers.

"You mean, you really don't know?"

Genma shook his head. "The last thing I remember was looking into the mirror at the flea market," he said. "The next thing I knew I was in the middle of nowhere."

Dr. Tofu and Soun came running towards them.

"What happened?" Soun asked. "All I saw was a flash."

"I think I finally know what to do!" Dr. Tofu announced. "The two separations both looked at the mirror at different angles. In the middle the original came out." Dr. Tofu noted Genma's glare remain on the mirror with no effect. "Apparently, the mirror only works on a person once, as well."

Akane's face brightened. "Does that mean we can fix my son?"

"Yes!" Dr. Tofu nodded. "… Right when we find him!"

"Alright," Akane said. "Then we should split up!"

"Saotome and I will do the most important job," Soun announced. Akane stared at her dad. "We'll go fetch our grandson."

"Where is the boy anyway?" Genma asked.

"… At Nabiki's hotel," Akane answered. "He was hiding from you."

"We better get going then!" Dr. Tofu said.

"Before we do," Akane said. "Shouldn't we get some hot water for Mousse?"

Dr. Tofu glanced down at the quacking duck cradled in Akane's arms. "Oh you're right!"

* * *

Nabiki looked away from the magazine she was idly flipping through when a sudden loud bang came from the opposite end of her door. She glanced over to her nephew, who for the last few hours was content with staring blankly off into space. The banging soon became irritatingly insistent. With a quiet sigh, Nabiki got off her bed to answer the door. Standing on the other side of the hotel door creating an unnecessary amount of ruckus was her father and Genma. The two were quick to invite themselves inside Nabiki's room, neither uttering a simple greeting to the business woman. Nabiki closed the door behind her, crossing her arms over her chest, as she watched the brief exchange between the two men.

After giving Genma a curt nod, Soun began to gesture wildly with his hands. Surprisingly, Genma understood whatever his friend was getting at and approached his grandson.

"Alright Saotome," Soun began. "I'll pick him from the front, while you hold him up by his feet."

While the two started to pick their grandson up by how they agreed on, Nabiki took this time to clear her throat. Soun looked over at his daughter, who was now leaning against the wall while raising an eyebrow at her father.

"What are you two doing?" Nabiki asked.

"What does it look like we're doing?" Genma questioned back. "We're taking the boy with us!"

Nabiki pressed her lips together. "Hold on," she told them, before walking inside the bathroom. When she returned, she was holding a glass of water. "Genma, can I try something?"

Before letting Genma answer, Nabiki proceeded to toss the water at him. Taking place of Genma was a very soaked panda, which was now letting out a late protest to Nabiki's question.

Nabiki hummed in thought. "Well, that explains a few things," she commented coolly. "At least I know you won't be up to anything."

"So, can we take the boy now?" Soun asked.

"Go right ahead, daddy," Nabiki answered. "The thing is, that I was about to ask where everyone was so that _I _could bring Ryuku over. I was just waiting on the wheelchair I asked for."

"… Oh." Was all that Soun said.

With embarrassment, Soun and Genma placed their grandson back onto the bed, and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

* * *

"I want to talk to you about this. Do you think we can meet at the park? You know the same park where we had a little break during our outing?" Those were Ryoko's simple demands, before she hung up the phone.

Ayano had done exactly what Ryoko had asked her. Since they hadn't agreed on a certain time to meet, Ayano dropped everything she was doing and hastily headed to the location they had settled as their meeting place. For the last half hour, Ayano silently sat on the park bench waiting for the other to pop up at any minute. Ever since she arrived at the playground, her anxiety was rapidly growing at an unsteady pace. The prior situation with Ryuku had left Ayano with a very uneasy feeling. It just wasn't possible that Ryuku would be that reckless, causing severe damage to her neighborhood, and beating up a poor defenseless boy.

She checked left and right for any sign of Ryuku's sister. Unfortunately, the only things in her sight of vision were empty pathways. Ayano checked the time on her phone. It was starting to get dark and she'd have to head back home to make dinner for her father and her sister. Patiently, she waited another five minutes, before she once again looked in both directions for Ryoko. At this rate, her father would be home at any minute, expecting dinner to be ready on the table. With a dejected sigh, Ayano stood up and began to leave the park. She attempted to call Ryoko to tell her of her departure, however, the girl wasn't picking up. Ayano settled with leaving a short voice message.

As she walked along the sidewalk, Ayano saw a boy walking in the opposite direction as her. It only took Ayano a number of seconds to recognize the boy as the one Ryuku had fought. The boy appeared to be in deep thought or upset from the disgruntled scowl was on his lips. Before Ayano knew what was happening their eyes met. The boy's eyes were scrutinizing as he all but glared at Ayano. Ayano was the first one to break their eye contact. Now, the boy closed the remaining distance between them. Ayano was only a few inches taller than the boy, who boldly stared up at her with an unreadable glint in his eyes. Unsure of what to do, Ayano quirked a small smile on her lips.

Finally, the boy spoke. "You're that… girl."

"Yes! I mean. Yes, I am that girl," Ayano greeted uneasily. "Um, about before I just wanted to say—"

"You have a lot of nerve," the boy interjected. "What made you think it was a good idea to interfere in a man-to-man fight?"

Ayano hadn't expected that. "I, um, well…"

"I could've handled it by myself," he informed her. "The last thing I needed was some stupid girl to come 'rescue'me."

"… I'm sorry."

The boy snorted. "Of course, you should apologize. But saying two words isn't going to do shit. If you get involved into one of my fights again, I won't hesitate to hurt you."

"I-I see."

"D-Do you?" the boy mocked with an eye roll. "Girls like you are so annoying." He shoved past Ayano, giving her a sarcastic wave, and continued down the sidewalk.

Ayano stayed where she was, acting as if she was glued to the spot. She replayed the entire scene several times in her head. Her intentions were good, or at least she hoped they were, she had only meant to apologize for Ryuku's actions. Not apologize for a good deed she had done. She bit her bottom lip, once she resumed walking. There was no need to dwell on it. She should focus on what she was going to make for her family when she got home. However, the uncalled for collide with a jogging body was the last thing Ayano had in mind. The fall to the pavement wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world, nor was the bleeding scrape on her elbow.

"Ayano!"

Ayano glanced up to see Mrs. Saotome had been the one she had run into. "I'm so sorry!" Akane quickly aided Ayano back onto her feet. "I should've paid better attention."

"That's okay," Ayano assured her. "I wasn't paying attention either."

Two more people suddenly jogged behind Akane. Ayano recognized one of them as Dr. Tofu. An uneasy laugh came from Akane as she gave Ayano a tired smile.

"Ayano," Akane started. "Was there any chance you've seen my son… or daughter today?"

"… I did," Ayano nodded. "I saw both Ryuku and Ryoko today. In fact, I called Ryoko awhile ago to… talk about some things."

"Where was the meeting spot?" Akane asked.

Ayano pointed at the nearby park. "She hasn't shown up yet."

"That's alright! It was nice talking to you, Ayano!" Akane assured her, before she ran over to the park with the other two tagging along.

* * *

Silently, Takumi observed at the scene before him in bewilderment. Standing a few yards away from him was Ryuku, who was talking to Ryuku. The latter was in his cursed form, but that did little to sooth Takumi's confusion. Ryuku held his hands up in frustration from whatever the girl Ryuku had told him. The girl stepped forward, placing her hand on Ryuku's arm. Ryuku simply shook her hand off of him and turned away from her.

"Ryuku," Ryoko sighed. "Don't you think we've caused enough damage already? Mother is very worried about us."

"I was in the middle of a nice walk through the park," Ryuku began. "When suddenly _you_ showed up out of nowhere and started talking about this nonsense! You can have whatever conscious you want Ryoko just leave me out of it."

"Mother's looking for us. We've already had all the fun we could ever want! Let's just go back to the mirror."

"Are you kidding me?" he snorted. "You _really_ want to go back in there?"

"Well, of course not, but—"

"But what?" Ryuku snapped. "You don't want to go back into that thing anymore than I do. We're free, Ryoko! We're free to do whatever the hell we want now!"

"I don't care!" she exclaimed. "I've… I haven't been acting very ladylike today. I'm ashamed of my past actions."

"This is why I'm glad I don't turn into a girl," Ryuku laughed. "I don't have to worry about feminine consciousness. Stuff like that is such a bore."

"Mother wants us to go back home."

"Home?" Ryuku echoed. "You call that mirror a home? We've done that stupid idiot a favor! He's cured, Ryoko!"

Ryoko sighed. "Must you be so difficult?"

"Hey, Ryoko," Ryuku grinned. "How about we play a game?"

"Now's not the time for games."

"You'll like it trust me," the redhead assured her. "If I win this game I get to do whatever I want. But if _you_ win I'll personally find our mother and be the first one to hop into our so called home."

"We don't even know how the mirror works."

"We'll worry about the details later," Ryuku said. "Do you wanna play or not?"

"… What's the game?"

Ryuku's grin widened. He beckoned Ryoko to step forward. Hesitantly, Ryoko walked closer to the redhead. He leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Ryoko placed her hand on Ryuku's shoulder to step on her tiptoes to hear him better, but was caught off guard by the sudden rough punch to her stomach. The girl recovered quickly, her fist aiming up at Ryuku's face.

Ryuku caught the punch with ease. "So, we're playing?"


	15. Ch 12: The Mirror of True Selves: P3

******Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 12:** The Mirror of True Selves: Part 3

The heavy thump of something falling to the ground alerted Akane. The noise had come from the park. Concerned, Akane sped up her jog. She separated herself from the others. When she reached the playground what she found did little to ease her anxiety. There was no one in sight. All that remained was the destruction, left by whoever was there earlier. Decorating the landscape were several manmade craters of various sizes. Half of the bricked wall separating the park from the adjacent neighborhood was broken down. The streetlight next to a crushed bench was bent. What was left of the jungle gym was nothing but colorful parts were compacted together as if it was in the recycling factory. A large knocked down oak tree had been torn on by its roots, Akane inferred that the cause of the loud sound was the fallen tree.

Fortunately, due to the lack of people, there had been no one there to witness the spectacular event. Akane clenched her hand around the mirror's handle. None of this would have happened if it weren't for the mirror. She raised the mirror up, too lost in her anger to focus, and moved to smash the mirror on what was left of the sidewalk. However, the sound of someone landing next to her made Akane react at the last second. She turned around to see Takumi standing behind her. If it was possible the middle schooler looked worse than the park did.

She took a step forward, her hand reaching out to Takumi. "You're hurt."

"Something happened to him," Takumi interjected, not bothering to waste time on formalities. "I'm right aren't I?"

Akane's hand dropped to her side. "… Yes."

Their conversation was put on hold when the others caught up to Akane. Like the good doctor he was, Dr. Tofu immediately noticed Takumi's injured state. Takumi tensed as Dr. Tofu, who was mentally tallying every visible injury he saw in his head, gave him a smile that hid more emotions than he showed. Feeling uneasy, Takumi stared off to the side as he brushed his fingers over a ghost itch on his arm.

Akane spoke up, appearing oblivious of the tension between the doctor and middle schooler. "Dr. Tofu, do you think you could…"

With a curt nod, Dr. Tofu answered. "Of course, Akane," Takumi spared a glance over at the doctor. Dr. Tofu's smile widened as he caught Takumi's stare. "Takumi, why don't you let me tend to your injuries?"

Mousse decided at this time to contribute his two cents. "I should have a first aid kit on me, Tofu."

Dr. Tofu laughed. "Thanks for the help, Mousse."

After retrieving the first aid kit, they moved over to an unharmed picnic table. Dr. Tofu urged Takumi to take a seat. He opened the first aid box and fished out the necessary tools, placing them neatly on the table. Dr. Tofu turned towards Mousse to ask for a sword, muttering something about amputation. Takumi stuttered out a protest. The doctor's face was serious, his eyes piercing through the middle schooler. Then all of a sudden the good doctor broke into a fit of laughter.

"Just kidding!" he joked. "But I do need a knife to cut the bandages."

"They were both here weren't they?" Akane traced her fingertips over the mirror. She couldn't believe she almost destroyed the only thing that could fix her son. "… Do you have any idea where they went?"

Takumi winced from the cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide that was disinfecting the cuts and scrapes on his cheek. "No," he grunted out through his teeth. "Ryuku purposely hit that tree when he saw me. It nearly flattened me."

* * *

The small grey pebble skidded a short distance on the street, shortly behind the kicked pebble was Ayano. A dejected sigh left the young woman's lips. She didn't understand what was going on with Ryuku. Ayano really believed that Ryuku wasn't at all like the rumors had suggested. But it wasn't the first time she was wrong about first impressions. What could have caused the complete attitude change? When she had stopped him earlier he had gazed down at her with the coldest eyes. He had spoken to her as if she was meant nothing to him. His unkind words rang inside her mind over and over again like a broken record.

Ayano really wished Ryoko had shown up. She needed to be assured that maybe Ryuku was just having a bad day or something. All those rumors circulating around him were confirmed, by Ryuku himself, as false. But from the way she'd seen him acting in her neighborhood gave her mixed signals. Slowly, Ayano swung her leg forward to give the pebble another light kick. Her eyes watched as it skipped away from her. When the pebble ceased movement, Ayano could only watch as she saw a blur of colors crash into the fence lining the right side of the street. With panic already starting to eat at her, Ayano ran over to where a large chunk of the fence that was missing. Ayano looked over the damage, but noticed that someone was in the water reservoir below. The person sat themselves up in the canal, sputtering out a mouthful of water, while reaching their hand up to squeeze the extra water from their short black hair.

Ayano called down to them. "Are you okay?" the next second, she shut her mouth. "That's the last thing you should ask them, Ayano! Of course they're not okay!" she thought, scolding herself.

"Ayano?" the person blinked up at her. Slowly, they got onto her feet, all the while twisting the hem of her dirtied dress.

Ayano's eyes widened. "Ryoko!" she knelt down onto her knees. A myriad of questions boomed through her mind, but only a few escaped her lips. "What happened? Are you alright? Who did this to you? Should I call the police? Or take you to a hospital?"

Ryoko waded through the water, getting closer to the wall of the bridge. "How about we first focus on getting me out of this dirty canal?"

"O-Oh! Right!" Ayano blurted, her cheeks tinted pink from embarrassment.

Once Ryoko was out of the canal and onto the bridge, she tried her best to wring the water from her dress. Ayano opened her handbag to see if she could help out in some way. She tapped Ryoko on the shoulder, handing her a packet of tissues. With a grateful smile, Ryoko accepted the packet, and began to dab the tissue at her damp dress.

When Ryoko was down to the last one, she heaved a loud sigh. "I…" she paused, crumbling the tissue up into a ball, and holding it in her fist. "I'm sorry I didn't show up at the park. Some _things_ kind of got in the way."

Ayano waved her apology away. "It's alright. I figured you were busy."

"Well, since you're here now," Ryoko said. "I should tell you what I was to planning to say in the first place."

"You don't have to tell me now. We can always talk some other time."

"I think it'd be the best for the both of us if I tell you now."

"… Okay. What is it?"

"About Ryuku…"

Another voice suddenly piped in. "What about me, sis?"

Ryoko shut her eyes. She inhaled through her nose, slowly exhaled out her mouth, before opening her eyes. Straight ahead, walking toward them at a leisurely pace was Ryuku with his arms crossed his chest. The redhead walked with an arrogant presence. Despite the pompous attitude he displayed, there were four bleeding claw marks running down his cheeks, courtesy of Ryoko's nails.

Ryoko thrust her hand out in front of Ayano. "Ayano, you better go."

"Oh no! Don't tell her that, Ryoko!" Ryuku retorted, although his tone was teasing. "Besides, I wanted to clear something up from our last meet up. Right, Ayano?"

"Ayano, just go," Ryoko glanced at the girl behind her, pleading for her to get the hint and leave. "Please."

Ryuku stopped a few yards away from the two girls. "Don't make her do something she doesn't want to. That doesn't sound very _ladylike_, sister dear."

"Ayano, go!" and with that Ryoko dashed forward, her eyes trained on the red haired opponent in front of her.

Ryoko's shout echoed in the seemingly endless sky above. Ayano took a step back, fully intending on following through with her friend's wishes. But when she saw Ryoko lurch forward with her hands clasping onto her stomach, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Ryoko bit back a pained moan that threatened to pass her lips. She clumsily fumbled back a few steps, her fingers curling into the damp material of her clothing, and shot Ayano a displeased stare. "Don't just stand there! Go!"

But Ryuku was quick to chip in his disagreement. "If she wants to watch let her! She only wants to see how well siblings get along!"

Ryoko's eyes narrowed onto her opponent in front of her. The redhead provoked Ryoko to make the first move by flashing a cheeky smirk. Ryoko gritted her teeth together, before she stomped her foot two times on the ground in frustration. The simple action made the girl look childish. But Ryuku simply raised an eyebrow at the other, his smirk drooping somewhat.

Ayano couldn't comprehend the gestures going on between the two siblings. A voice started to scream in her head. "What are you doing! Why are you just standing here when you could be doing something? _Do something!_"

"But what can I do?" she asked the voice, who left her question unanswered.

As far as the other two knew, she was nothing but an innocent bystander. The urge to turn around and run far, far away was steadily growing. Running was the only thing she could do right now. Ryoko wanted her to leave, to get out as soon as possible. Little by little, Ayano's left foot moved back, the sound of her tennis shoes scraping against the concrete unnoticed. Ayano helplessly observed Ryoko forming into an unfamiliar stance. The girl began to lightly bounce off of the balls of her feet, her fists in front, before she leapt forward thus initiating the first move.

Ryuku stepped off to the side, avoiding the girl, who was quick to land onto her feet. She placed her palms flat on the ground, as she knocked Ryuku off his feet with a sweeping kick. The redhead smacked his hand onto the street, bouncing off his hand to flip one, twice, into the air before flawlessly landing back on his feet. He lowered himself as he prepared his next move. Ryoko's reflexes kicked in a second too late, unable to dodge Ryuku's fierce and powerful uppercut. She was blown back onto her back but with a simple backward roll she was back on her feet.

She ducked Ryuku's next punch, choosing the time now to tackle Ryuku onto the pavement. Before Ryuku had a chance to move, Ryoko immediately straddled him, her knees digging roughly into his sides. She punched the redhead repeatedly on his face. Ayano's heart rate picked up from the first sight of blood. Ryoko's nose wrinkled from the faint scent of the crimson liquid. Ryoko clenched her eyes shut, as she continued to deliver punch after punch onto her opponent below. Ayano pressed her hand over her heart. It was beating so noisily. The beating drowned out the sounds of Ryoko's fist smacking onto Ryuku's flesh. Her ears rang from the heart beat's constant thudding. It felt as though her heart was trying to escape from its confinements.

"Is this even real?" Ayano thought. Her eyes never once looked away from the violent scene in front of her. "I should be home right now making dinner. This _can't_ be happening."

"I'm doing this for your own good, Ryuku!" Ryoko cried. "We need to find our mother! We need to—" suddenly, her punches came to an abrupt halt. She inhaled, exhaled, before slowly opening her eyes. Hesitantly, she glanced down at the redhead.

A gasp flew from her mouth, her eyes frantically darting away from the redhead's bloodied face. Absentmindedly, she wiped her blood ridden fists over her dress. She gnawed at her bottom lip. His eyes were shut. With a shaky breath, Ryoko leaned closer towards him to check his breathing.

"… Ryuku?" she whispered.

There was no reaction.

Ryoko's shoulders began to shake uncontrollably. Her eyes brimmed with tears, as she forced herself to look at what she had done. "Not again," she murmured. "No. No. _No!_"

The soft chuckle from the body below startled Ryoko away from her panic. "Relax, Ryoko."

"Thank goodness! I'm so sorry, Ryuku! I went too far. I almost…" the rest of her sentence was cut off when Ryuku smacked his hand behind her head, using a vice grip to hold onto her skull.

Gently, he led her closer towards his face, and spat a mouthful of blood all over her face. "It'll take more than a few sissy punches to knock me out."

A frenzied shriek ripped from Ryoko's mouth, as her hands frantically scrubbed away at her eyes. Ryuku rolled his eyes, before shoving her off of him. Ryoko sat up, fingers continuing to swipe at her eyelids. Her temporary blindness rose Ryoko's panic levels even higher.

Ryuku stepped closer towards her, cracking both of his knuckles, as he bided his time. "Looks like this red hair came in handy after all," he snickered. "My blood blends in pretty well!"

Ayano stayed glued to the spot. "Move, Ayano! Move!" she screamed to herself. With a heavy amount of difficulty on her part, Ayano slowly began to inch towards the two martial artists. Her fingers fumbled with her skirt. The thumping of her heart rattling against her ribcage did nothing to calm herself.

The redhead crouched down in front of Ryoko, who was murmuring rushed sentences under her breath. From his peripheral vision, Ryuku could see Ayano walking up to him.

"So, you decided to stick around after all," he faced the shaking girl with a grin. "Guess you have more guts than I thought."

Like Ryoko, Ayano was muttering something indistinguishable. Her head was bowed down, while she fidgeted, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"What was that?" Ryuku asked, cupping his hand around his ear. "Speak up."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ayano glanced over Ryoko.

A loud smacking sound resounded in the air. Ryuku was the first one to move after a short moment. He lifted his hand up to gingerly touch his cheek. His features were an expressionless mask. Ayano curled her outstretched hand into a fist. Until now she had never slapped anyone in her entire life. Was it supposed to hurt? Ryuku kept his gaze locked on Ayano. His lips were drawn into a thin line, as his blue eyes refused to let her brown ones look away.

Slowly, his lips formed into a smirk. His shoulders shook. A light chuckle went past his lips. Ryuku dropped his head back, an explosion of hysterical laughter echoing throughout the otherwise silent area.

"You just… you just _slapped_ me!" he managed to snort between his fits of laughter. "This is hilarious," he wiped at the corner of his eyes. "Jeez, Ryoko, did you see that? Please tell me you," he paused, looking over in Ryoko's direction. He made a mental note that Ryoko was nearly rubbing her face raw from wiping the blood off her face.

Ryuku clapped his hands together. "Well, Ayano, I guess I'll accept a brief intermission," he nodded to himself. "If you wanted to get in a bit of the action you should've just asked."

His hands formed into tight fists, as his smirked disappeared and was replaced with a nasty scowl. In a matter of seconds, Ayano could only see Ryuku's fist heading right for her face. However, the hit fell short due to the spatula that nearly sliced off Ryuku's hand. Ryuku faltered slightly, as he warily eyed the cooking utensil that was impaled into the street.

"Hold it right there, Ryuku Saotome!" a woman's voice declared.

Ryuku swung his body around, still guarded, to face his new opponent. Ukyo strolled towards the three, her hand twirling another spatula, while her other held onto the handle of the much large spatula on strapped onto her back. She pulled the larger cooking utensil from her back, swinging her arm forward to thrust it at the redhead. Ryuku flinched, as the tip of the spatula brushed his nose. Ukyo kept the spatula poised in front of the redhead.

With a laugh and a grin, Ukyo announced. "You bailed out on our fight."

Ryuku scowled. "I didn't bail out."

"You bailed out, honey," she assured the teenager. "Don't tell me you ran off because you thought you were going to lose."

"… It's completely different when you're fighting a girl."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "A girl?" she repeated. "I haven't been called a girl in years!"

Ukyo glanced over at Ayano. "Why don't you take her somewhere safe?" she gestured her spatula at Ryoko. "Let me take care of this."

Despite her current state, Ryoko protested. "That won't be necessary, Mrs. Hibiki," she said. "I just need to find a bathroom to get rid of all this nasty blood. That's all!"

"Now, let's not do this," Ukyo sighed. "Not now. Just let me handle everything."

Ryuku chipped in his two cents. "You can't just butt in and—"

Ukyo swiped her spatula upwards, creating a gust of wind that ruffled Ryuku's hair about. "Actually, yes I can butt in," She stated matter-of-factly. "How about you zip your mouth and go be the good boy I know you are?"

The redhead gritted his teeth together but kept silent.

Ukyo signaled for to Ayano to quickly leave with Ryoko in tow. With an affirmative nod, Ayano managed to help a struggling Ryoko back onto her feet and led her away from the area. Ayano heard the clang of metal behind her. She kept her eyes forward, focusing all her attention on the girl next to her. However, despite being pulled away, this did not end Ryoko's feeble objections to the situation.

"No. I can't just… I _need_ to finish my fight," Ryoko groaned. "Ayano, why couldn't you have left when I asked you to?"

"I don't know what's going on with Ryuku right now, but I'm bringing you somewhere else," The image of Ryuku nearly punching her face in would be locked in her mind forever. "Away from your brother."

"That's not. You don't understand, Ayano," She murmured sadly. "Please don't jump to any conclusion."

"How can I not?" Ayano asked. "He was beating you up while I just stood there! What kind of person does that make me? What kind of _friend_ does that make me?"

"It's alright, Ayano."

"_It's not!_" she exclaimed. "I'm tired of hearing that! It's not alright! How can anything be alright after all that?"

"… Where are we going?"

"To my house."

Ryoko blinked. "Your house?"

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to walk all the way to Nerima Hospital," Ayano told her. "If my dad's home I can ask him to drive us there instead."

"… Alright."

* * *

The phone call had been made a little over an hour ago. Dr. Tofu had called Kasumi, since Akane had left her phone at home. The doctor informed his wife to call Nabiki for a quick update on when Ryuku would be brought over. The group stayed at their current location with Dr. Tofu tending to Takumi's wounds. Mousse pursed his lips in thought, as he observed the middle schooler's condition. It was clear that he certainly had his behind handed to him. Takumi grinded his teeth together irritated by everything around him. The sound of Akane's insistent foot tapping was getting on his nerves, the constant waves of pain from Dr. Tofu's disinfecting his wounds, and Mousse staring at him like a wild animal made Takumi irritable. One of Takumi's fangs jutted out over his bottom lip, as he bit back a retort.

"You're Ryoga's son aren't you?" Mousse stated.

"… Gee, I wonder what gave me away," Takumi grunted dryly. He rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Dumbass."

Akane checked her wristwatch for the time for what must've been the umpteenth time. "What's taking them so long? How long does it take to bring someone over here?"

Dr. Tofu sliced the end of the bandages he had wrapped around Takumi's right bicep off with the knife. He kept the fresh bandages firmly in place by applying medical tape. "Do you want me to give Kasumi another call?"

An exasperated sigh came from Akane. She raked her fingers through her blue hair frustrated. "You don't need to do that."

Mousse crossed his arms over his chest, slightly shaking his head at Akane in disapproval. "You shouldn't leave your cell phone at home, Akane."

"Do you really think now is the time to be worrying about something like that?" Akane asked.

"Well, I was simply stating the obvious." Mousse answered.

Takumi flinched when Dr. Tofu lifted the back of Takumi's shirt up to inspect the wounds on his back. Takumi's hands gripped onto the material of his pants. Once the middle schooler relaxed somewhat, he asked Akane. "… Who're you waiting on?"

"My son," Akane answered.

"So, something _did_ happen," Takumi said. "… But what exactly?"

"Ryuku's grandpa bought this mirror," Akane shook the mirror around in one of her hands. "And Ryuku was supposedly cured. Well, the cure backfired. That's why there are two versions of my son running around."

Takumi's lips curled into a scowl. "I wasn't even really fighting Ryuku?"

Akane nodded.

"… That makes sense," Takumi muttered mostly to himself. "He couldn't have gotten better that fast." He eyed the mirror, somewhat intrigued that an object that tacky could cause so much trouble. The middle schooler leaned forward to peer into the mirror.

However, Mousse quickly shoved him back. "I don't think that'd be a good idea."

"And why's that?" Takumi spat.

"Well, aren't you Ryoga's son?" Mousse asked.

Takumi rolled his eyes. "I don't have my father's stupid curse."

Suddenly, Dr. Tofu announced in the discussion. "That should be it!" he yanked Takumi's shirt down. Without missing a beat, the doctor smacked his hand on Takumi's back, fully aware of the injuries he just tended to. A strangled yelp nearly spilled out of Takumi's mouth. Tears began to form in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away before any could fall. Takumi kept a rather lengthy retort to himself and shakily stood up.

As he began to walk away from the adults, Akane called out after him. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?" Takumi asked. "I'm going to repay your son another visit. If he thinks I'm going to just let him—"

"That should be the _last_ thing you do," Dr. Tofu cut in sternly. "You're not up to full strength. In fact, disobeying Dr. Wasabi's orders most likely prolonged the healing process for your hands."

"I don't care!" Takumi growled. "I'm going to teach that guy a lesson!"

"What makes you think it'll be any different the next time around?" Akane asked.

"Does it look like I care about that?" the middle schooler hissed. "I'll worry about the consequences later. All I care about right now is finding that prick."

"_Wait_," Akane said firmly. "If you're going to find that… separation of Ryuku, I'm going with you."

"Separation? Is that what you call them?" Takumi asked. He waved his hand, dismissing his own question, and continued to walk away.

The others followed behind him.

"… Why are we letting him lead the way?" Mousse asked. "Doesn't Ryoga—"

Takumi shot a glare in the Amazon's direction. "I don't have his shitty sense of direction either."

* * *

Ayano hoped Ryoko was alright by herself on the couch. She had done her best to take care of the girl in any way she could. No one was home. Hopefully, her father would turn up soon with Naori in tow, and take Ryoko to the hospital. Ayano stared at the tea kettle on the stove. The sound of the water bubbling was oddly comforting. Standing on her tiptoes, Ayano opened a cabinet to fetch a bag of cookies. Next, she moved to the cabinet over, still on her tiptoes, to take out two tea cups and two small plates for the cookies. She gently set everything down on the counter. Her eyes glanced over at the clock hanging above the table. It was starting to get dark soon. Usually, her father turned up a little before sunset. Ayano went over to the kitchen phone. Her hand hovered over the device, before she picked up receiver, and brought it over her ear.

She dialed in the number, patiently listening to the phone ring. After the fourth ring, the person on the other line answered.

A gruff voice on the other end, muttered a tired greeting. "Hello?"

"U-Um, hi. Did I call you at a bad time?"

There was a pause, before Ayano received her answer. "… No. You didn't."

"Are you going to be coming home soon?" Ayano asked. "I kind of need your help with something."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Ayano, but I'm in the middle of something right now," suddenly, a curse rang into Ayano's ear along with the sound of several things being dropped onto the floor. "Can it wait?"

"… I guess it can."

"I don't know when I'm going to come home. I can just grab something on the way back. There's no need to fuss over making me anything."

"I'll cook you something," Ayano said. "Otherwise, you'll end up throwing away whatever you got."

"… Do what you want."

"Bye, Dad. Sorry for bothering you."

When she hung up the phone, a sudden shrill whistle startled Ayano. She scrambled over to the oven, quickly twisting knobs to turn the stove. Getting everything ready only took Ayano a little under ten minutes. When she left the kitchen holding a trey of tea and cookies, she walked down the dimply lit hall that would eventually bring her to Ryoko. Ayano entered the room, expecting to see her friend resting on the sofa.

Instead, she walked into an empty room. Hey eyes focused on the neatly folded note that lay on top of the coffee table. Ayano set the trey down on the table, before she picked up the note, and opened it. The note read: '_Ayano, I'm sorry but I had to leave. It'd be best if you didn't worry yourself over me. – Ryoko'_

Ayano dropped the note onto the trey. It landed into a cup filled with tea. She watched as the whiteness of the paper slowly turned into a dull brown. With steady hands, she picked up the trey and went back to the kitchen. After setting the trey aside, Ayano gathered everything she'd need to prepare tonight's family dinner. She picked up a knife, held thick carrot in her hand over a cutting board, and began to chop the orange vegetable into smaller pieces.

* * *

She jumped from rooftop to rooftop. In the darkening sky above, her petite figure appeared as if she was elegantly gliding in midair. Without making a sound, she landed onto the roof tiles of the next rooftop. The girl strolled to the edge of the roof, her eyes thoroughly skimming the scenery below, taking in every little detail. A gentle breeze of wind went by ruffling up her long purple tresses slightly. Lotion lifted her hand up to run her fingers through her hair.

The Amazon had rushed home, her mother barely noticed her daughter's presence, and quickly changed into clothing that was better suited for fights: a white tank top and grey sweats. Lotion looked up to admire the sky. The sun was half covered by the buildings in Nerima, creating a lovely sunset. Streetlights were starting to light up the sides of the streets. She eased herself down onto the edge of the roof, her legs beginning to sway back and forth as she listened to the calming songs of the wind. Suddenly, a small figure running down the streets caught Lotion's attention. The streetlights provided little lighting on the person. However, when Lotion saw blurs of familiar colors, the Amazon sprang onto her feet and leapt off the roof. She came down onto the railing of the fence. The person was just about to pass her.

"Ryoko!"

The blacked hair girl stopped in her tracks. She stared up at the Amazon on the fence. "I don't have time to deal with you right now."

Lotion's eyes softened as she took in the appearance of her. "… What happened?"

"It doesn't matter," Ryoko spat. "I've got to get going!"

Lotion jumped off the fence, landing in front of the other girl. "Where are you going?"

"Move out of the way!" she shrieked. "If you keep this up, I'll ruin that pretty face of yours!"

"Go ahead," Lotion stepped out of Ryoko's way. "… But just know that I'm going to be following you."

"_Fine!_ Do whatever you want!" Ryoko exclaimed. She broke into a sprint. "Just don't get in my way!"

* * *

"_Shit!_ That was close!" the redhead thought as he barely dodged another swing from Ukyo's large spatula. "Watch it with that stupid thing! It nearly took my head off!" he exclaimed at the woman before him.

Without warning, three spatulas were flung in Ryuku's direction. He jumped back in time. The spatulas stabbed into the ground creating a straight line. Ryuku maneuvered around the next batch of spatulas heading his way, dashed forward, and curved the direction of his punch in order to meet Ukyo's chest. A snort from the woman distracted him, before he knew it; she had tossed a handful of flour in the air. The white powder created a temporary fog that blinded Ryuku. He coughed having inhaled some of the cooking ingredient and used his arm as a shield for his eyes.

The redhead relied on his hearing instead. If his vision was being compromised he'd have to let his ears do the work. His ears picked up footsteps. But the direction of the footsteps was unclear. Ryuku simply upped his defense. When nothing seemed to be happening, Ryuku cautiously lowered his arms from his eyes, peeking over slightly to check his surroundings. The flour had cleared up, however his opponent was nowhere in sight.

Ryuku scowled. "And you said _I_ bailed out!" he shouted in a fury. He dropped his fists to his sides, turning his head every other direction to look for Ukyo.

His eyes widened before he flipped around behind him. Ten spatulas were headed towards him. Ryuku effortlessly dodged every single one of them. He scoffed as he glanced over all the spatulas that littered the streets.

"Don't be too cocky, Saotome!"

Ryuku jerked backwards to avoid Ukyo's large spatula that swung above his upper body. The quick movement backwards caused Ryuku to lose his footing. He grunted, crazily flailing his arms around, before finally planting his palm onto the pavement. Ukyo used Ryuku's position to her advantage. She reached into her blouse, taking out a wad of noodles, and chucked them forward. The noodles wrapped tightly around Ryuku's ankles. Ukyo yanked the noodle rope back, knocking off Ryuku's sense of balance entirely.

With a pained grunt, Ryuku landed harshly onto his back. Ukyo dragged the redhead towards her. Ryuku's eyes searched any means of escape. His eyes land onto one of the spatulas Ukyo had tossed earlier. Quickly, he took hold one of them, ripping it out of the street, and cut himself loose. A smug grin played across Ryuku's lips, as he bounced back onto his feet. He spun the spatula around with his hand.

Ukyo raised an eyebrow at the redhead. "Well, are you going to just stand there?"

Ryuku's lips curled into a frown. He dashed towards Ukyo, spatula still twirling around in his hand. "I'll make you eat those words!"

* * *

"There! I see them over there!" Akane shouted, thrusting her hand out to point over at the scene they were heading towards.

Takumi paid no mind to Akane's outburst. His eyes were glued onto the fight—or more specifically on his redheaded opponent. He clenched his hands into tight shaking fists. There was a loud message sounding in his head: it was time to teach that moron not to mess with Takumi Hibiki. The only problem was that his mother was interfering on _his_ fight. Takumi made a beeline for Ukyo, who was about to fling another handful of spatulas at Ryuku.

He knocked the cooking utensils out of his mother's hands. Ukyo recovered from the shock of seeing her youngest son pop out of nowhere. She shot her son a disapproving look, before nudging him out of the way. Ryuku ignored the middle schooler, his attention solely focused on Ukyo, and delivered a quick punch combo. Ukyo brought her large spatula down on Ryuku's last punch. The redhead hissed out in pain, retracting his arm back to shake away the blossoming sting.

"Mother, would you get out of here?" Takumi snapped.

Ukyo dodged Ryuku's kick. "I should be saying that to you!" she jumped away from both teenagers. She gestured with her spatula that Ryuku follow after her. "Come on, Saotome! Let's continue fighting over here!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Ryuku shouted, despite already running over towards Ukyo.

Takumi scowled. He bent down to snatch several spatulas up and ran towards the other two fighters. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the spatulas flying. Ukyo used her larger spatula to smack the spatulas onto the street. She gave her son a stern glare, signaling that it'd be best if he stopped while he was ahead. However, Takumi remained stubborn. He ran around the street, picking up laying spatulas as he went, and started to send them towards both Ryuku and his mother.

This went on for several minutes, until Ukyo finally grew fed up with the interruption. She thrust her hand up in front of Ryuku's face. "Hold on a sec," she informed the redhead.

With her other hand, she caught onto the spatula that almost collided with the back of her head. She tossed it aside, turning around to face her son. Ukyo slammed the handle of her spatula onto the street. She cupped her other hand around her waist, and beckoned Takumi forward with her index finger. Takumi stomped over towards her.

"Takumi, honey," Ukyo began sweetly. "Why don't you be a good boy and find a nice place to sit down, while mommy handles this?"

"How about _mommy_ sits down and lets _me_ handle this?" Takumi spat back. "It was my fight first. You can't just butt in and take it from me."

Ukyo giggled and lightly petted her son on her head. "Oh, I think I can! Besides, I didn't want you fighting in the first place. Your hands still need to be all healed up!"

"Who cares?" her son hissed. "All I care about is fighting that moron behind you. Once I do that you can do whatever you want to the rest of him."

"You know, sugar, I don't really appreciate you talking to your mother like that."

Takumi shrugged. "Maybe I'd treat you better if you'd get out of the way."

"How about you shut up and let me take care of it?"

"Mother," Takumi chided. "You _really_ shouldn't be speaking to a child like that."

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "Jeez, how long is this going to be?" he asked. "If this is such a big deal, I don't mind fighting both of you."

Takumi and Ukyo shared a look, before glancing over at the redhead. As they were about to answer, a sudden explosion caught them off guard. Takumi narrowed his eyes, as he saw more projectiles heading their way. Ukyo scooped her son up in her arms and jumped out of the way.

"Exploding eggs?" Ryuku laughed. "I've got to say that's a lot more creative than spatulas!"

Ukyo darted her gaze over to the Amazon casually walking towards them. "Mousse, what the heck do you think you're doing?"

"It looked like you two weren't getting anywhere," Mousse answered. "So, I thought I'd take over."

Takumi violently flailed around in his mother's arms. "Put me down, damn it!" once he was back on the ground, he brushed off imaginary dust off his shirt. "How about you rethink your decision?"

"Three against one?" Ryuku whistled. "That'd be pretty interesting! Plus, you could make up for that cripple over there." He jerked his thumb in Takumi's direction.

Takumi bristled at the insult. "I'm going to bash your face in!"

"I'd like to see you try, brat!" Ryuku taunted. "Are you sure it'd be a good idea to do that?"

"You two better not butt in," Takumi grunted to the two adults next to him. He moved forward before either Ukyo or Mousse could answer.

* * *

Ryoko sped up when she turned the corner. Hopefully, this would get that pesky Amazon out of her hair. The sooner she got rid of her would mean the faster she'd found Ryuku. She checked behind her. A satisfied smile went on her lips to see that she had lost Lotion. However, when she glanced above her, she found the Amazon had kept up with her after all just beside her on the fence.

"Would you just go away?" Ryoko screamed. She leapt up to send a harsh kick to the barbed wire fence.

Lotion bounced over Ryoko to land onto the street. "No way! If you won't tell me what's going on here, I'll just figure it out by myself!"

"Figure it out somewhere else!"

"I'm not going anywhere, Ryuku!"

"_Don't_ call me that!" Ryoko swung her arm forward.

Lotion pinned Ryoko's wrist in place, by wedging her arms against Ryoko's. "Why shouldn't I call you that? You _are_ Ryuku aren't you?"

Ryoko scowled. "Too bad a pretty face is all you have going for you." She easily slipped out Lotion's hold. "I didn't think you were this stupid!" with her next punch, it connected with Lotion's cheek.

The Amazon shrugged off the hit, despite it hurting. "Ryuku, just tell me what's going on!"

"For the last time, you stupid Amazon," Ryoko snarled. "Don't call me that name!"

* * *

Ryuku dodged the numerous spatulas and exploding eggs. He sidestepped Takumi's punches and jabbed his elbow back to stab the middle schooler in the gut. Takumi grabbed onto Ryuku's shoulder, shoving himself up to punch his face. Ryuku tossed Takumi over his shoulder, purposefully throwing him at Ukyo. Mousse unleashed his chains and ropes from his jacket sleeves.

The redhead ducked down to avoid them. He wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead, shaking his head slightly, and heaved a tired sigh. "Boy, this is more tiring than I thought it'd be!"

Meanwhile, Akane stood next to Dr. Tofu at a reasonable distance away from the fight. She kept her eyes locked onto the male separation of her son. It looked like at the rate the brawl was going, Ryuku would eventually burn out from fighting all three opponents. A part of her desperately wanted to jump in and provide any sort of help. But if she chose to interfere, she wouldn't be able to contribute as much as the other three.

"If only I hadn't had to work so much," Akane sighed. "I would've been able to help out too."

Dr. Tofu placed his hand on her shoulder. "You helped more than you think, Akane."

Akane forced out a laugh. She plopped her own hand on top of Dr. Tofu's. "There's no need to comfort me, Dr. Tofu."

"I'm telling the truth!" Dr. Tofu insisted. "You helped a bunch!"

"Dr. Tofu…" Akane stopped, her eyes glanced past him.

"What's wrong, Akane?"

Akane simply shook her head. She leaned to the side to look past the doctor. Dr. Tofu was still taller than Akane, seeing past him was difficult. Puzzled, Dr. Tofu turned his head to see what his sister-in-law was gaping at. In the distance, two girls were engaged in a frantic fight. The fight between the young girls was quick and somewhat reckless. They were running down the streets, tossing kicks and punches whenever they saw an opening, uncaring of what was happening around them.

"Ryoko!" Akane cried. She glanced back over at the redhead. "They're both here now!" Her hands grabbed onto Dr. Tofu's shoulders. "Where's Soun and Genma? Quick, call Kasumi!"

"Maybe I should've just asked for Nabiki's number, huh?" Dr. Tofu joked lamely.

* * *

The force behind Ryoko's flying kick was more than enough to send Lotion flying across the street. She prepared herself for the harsh impact. However, the landing never came. Lotion brought her arms away from her face. She blinked. She was in the air. It took her awhile to notice she was being securely held in someone's arms. Lotion glanced up into a familiar pair of blue eyes.

She gasped, her arms shooting out to wrap around them. "Father!" she cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Luckily, I was here to save you from a nasty crash!" When Mousse landed onto the ground, he set his daughter onto the ground. "Why are you here anyway?"

Lotion glanced over to where she had seen Ryoko last. The girl was there, however, she hadn't counted on seeing Ryuku standing next to her. The two were talking to each other. Lotion turned towards her father, who had also been watching them.

"Do you know what's going on here, father?" Lotion asked.

Mousse nodded. "This is all due to an ancient artifact."

Ukyo darted up to the two Amazons, dragging a reluctant Takumi behind her. "Mousse, why'd you disappear on us? We almost had him!"

"Sorry, for rescuing my daughter!" Mousse huffed.

"Forget it!" Ukyo said. "Let's just hurry up! We've tired him out enough. If we keep this up, we'll get him for sure!"

"My daughter's going to be helping us as well," Mousse informed the two Hibikis.

Ukyo grinned. "Four against one? We should be able to knock him out no problem!"

The three nodded, aside from Takumi's grunt of agreement, and faced the two behind them. Ryuku had an arm slung around Ryoko's shoulders. He cheerfully waved at the four, before using his hand to pinch Ryoko's cheeks.

"Change of plans, guys!" Ryuku called out. "Ryoko's pissed off. So, I'm going to let her fight whoever she wants!" he nudged Ryoko, who glared up at him. "Go on, sis. Pick whoever you want."

Ryoko's eyes locked onto Lotion's. "_Her_," she spat. "I'm fighting her."

"If you're going to be fighting my daughter," Mousse announced. "You're going to have to fight me too."

Ryoko shrugged. "I don't mind." she turned to Ryuku. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Ryuku nodded. "Guess that just leaves me with the brat and his mother. That sounds good to me!" he chuckled. "… And you said you wanted to go back into the mirror."

"A girl can change her mind can't she?" Ryoko huffed.

"Yeah, yeah," Ryuku grumbled. "Girls always can't make up their minds. That's why I'm glad I'm all man."

Ryoko shoved Ryuku forward. The redhead gave a shout of gratitude over his shoulder, before he jumped forward to launch an attack towards Ukyo and Takumi. Lotion dashed underneath Ryuku, her eyes trained on Ryoko, who simply slipped into a fighting stance. Mousse was not far behind his daughter. A chicken appeared out of nowhere in his hand. Once the eggs landed in his other palm, he tossed the handful towards Ryoko.

* * *

Someone tapped Akane's shoulder. Thinking it was Dr. Tofu, Akane simply brushed his hand away. As much as she loved her brother-in-law he tended to make stupid comments in the wrong situations. Dr. Tofu would understand. She needed to make sure that neither of Ryuku's separations would leave the vicinity anytime soon. However, the tapping continued after every few seconds. With an annoyed growl, Akane whipped her head around. The retort she was about to shout died on her lips when she saw that it had not been the doctor who had been bothering her but her sister.

"I apologize for my tardiness," Nabiki drawled, an amused smirk on her lips. "You should reconsider sending Daddy and Genma to do this kind of job." She had expected to earn a mouthful from Akane, but instead was only given a tearful look.

Nabiki sighed at her little sister. It looked like she was going to start bawling. She patted Akane on the arm. "Since our little helpers weren't exactly that helpful, I had to ditch them," she said. "They should be here any minute."

In response, Akane simply nodded her head. She walked around Nabiki, immediately breaking into a jog, and ran towards Soun and Genma. The two were loudly arguing as they each attempted to push Ryuku forward. As Akane reached them, she could hear their argument much better, although she paid little attention to their shouts.

"Saotome, I think the boy would appreciate it more if_ I _were the one to push him!" Soun explained to Genma.

With a boastful laugh, Genma shot a glare at his friend. "And I think the boy would rather his favorite grandpa do the job! Am I right, boy?" despite not receiving an answer, Genma shoved Soun away from the wheelchair.

"F-Favorite grandpa?" Soun stammered in disbelief. "And just who decided this, Saotome!"

Akane interrupted the two by shouting her son's name. The tearful mother wrapped her arms tightly around Ryuku as she sputtered out rushed sentences. When her incoherent words eventually died down, she glared up at her father and Genma. Akane didn't make a move to wipe her tears or detach herself away from her son.

"What took you two so long?" she demanded. "Here I am worrying over what could possibly be happening to my son, while you two are fighting over the stupidest thing!"

"Now, Akane let's not be…" Soun started. However, Genma was quick to interrupt Soun.

"We got the boy here, didn't we? You're lucky we found you at all! Maybe if someone didn't leave their cell phone at home this whole thing could've been avoided!"

Akane untangled her arms from around her son. She kept her glare on her father-in-law as she slowly stood up. "Genma," she growled. "I have…"

Soun prepared for the worst. As a precaution, he began to slowly wheel away his grandson from the other two.

"I have a favor I need you to do for me." Akane finished.

Soun's jaw dropped. "_W-what?_"

"And what's this favor?" Genma asked, while casually slapping Soun's hands off of the wheelchair. He wrapped his hands around the handles and wheeled Ryuku away from a protesting Soun.

"It's simply really," Akane answered. "All I need you to do is wheel my son."

Genma blinked. "… I see?"

"You _will_ see," Akane assured him. "Just make sure to keep your distance from me." After giving Genma a curt nod, she spun around, and darted towards the fight.

"Wait, child!" Genma shouted. He ran after Akane, pushing Ryuku forward. "At least tell me what your plan is before we do anything!"

"But Akane," Soun cried when both his daughter and old friend were out of earshot. "What about your father?"

First, Akane headed for Ryoko. She circled around the three fighters, waiting for the right moment to happen. The first one to notice her was Mousse. He ducked down, avoiding Ryoko's blow, and shot back up.

"Akane?" Mousse mouthed out. "What are you doing?"

Akane brought out the mirror that she had tucked in behind her pants. She pointed at the object in her hand, before jerking the mirror behind her. All she received back from Mousse was a puzzled stare. He jumped over both Ryoko and his daughter. While still in midair, his eyes landed on Genma and Ryuku. Now finally understanding the situation, Mousse gave Akane a nod, before he landed behind Ryoko. He wrapped his arms around her neck keeping the female separation in place.

"That's perfect, Mousse!" Akane shouted. "How long can you hold her?"

From hearing the sound of Akane's voice, Ryoko's struggles stopped for a moment. "Mother?" she asked. "What's…" the shine from the mirror stopped her. Her eyes narrowed. "You're not! I've changed my mind! I'm not going back in there!"

Ryoko thrash about in Mousse's hold. She wrapped her hand around Mousse's arm, quickly shoving the sleeve of his jacket aside to chomp down on his wrist. The Amazon growled from the pain, but kept his hold on her. Lotion shouted an insult at Ryoko, who simply dug her teeth in deeper.

"Lotion," Mousse said. "Listen to me carefully!"

Akane took this as her cue to leave them. Behind her she could her Mousse yelling in Chinese. She checked over her shoulder, as she neared the Hibikis and the other Ryuku. "Genma, make sure you keep your distance!"

"What are you planning on doing, girl!" Genma shouted back.

She left his questions unanswered. Repeating as she did before, Akane jogged around the other three fighters. Akane shrieked, unable to dodge the spatula that flew towards her at a rapid speed. She attempted to duck but knew it was too late. However, she was rescued by the last person she'd expect.

The middle schooler pointed the spatula at Akane. "What are you doing?"

"Takumi, all I need you to do is make sure you can make Ryuku look at this mirror. Can you do that for me?"

Takumi scoffed. "_You're_ going to fix this?"

"I'm trying to."

"Alright," Takumi said. "But you have to let me do this my own way."

"Takumi, now isn't the time to—"

"Now, what I need _you_ to do is get rid my mother," Takumi interjected calmly. "After that's out of the way, I'll make sure the fake moron looks in that mirror. Got it?"

Seeing no other choice in the matter, Akane reluctantly agreed to Takumi's terms. She took a step back away, looking over as Ryuku fought with Ukyo. "How am I going to lure her away from there?" Akane thought. "Guess I'm going to do something stupid."

Without a second thought, Akane jumped between the two, narrowly missing Ryuku's punches and Ukyo's spatulas. Ukyo grabbed onto Akane's arm, jumping away from the redhead while she dragged Akane along with her.

"Are you stupid?" Ukyo shouted. "You can't just jump in the middle of a fight, you of all people should know that Akane!"

"I'm sorry, Ukyo, but I had to," Akane told her. "I'd never do anything like that without a good reason."

"And what is that reason?"

"I'm so close to getting my son back," Akane answered. "But I need to get both of the separations and my son to look into this stupid mirror."

"Alright, Akane, I'll make sure the jackass looks into it."

Akane stopped Ukyo from stepping past her. "I promised Takumi, I'd let him take care of it."

"_What!_" Ukyo shrieked. "I'm not letting my son do anything! How dare you, Akane Saotome, you can't just—"

"_Please, _Ukyo."

"… I already owe you one," Ukyo muttered. She sighed, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder. A scream alerted the two women back over to Mousse and the other two. Mousse was having trouble with keeping Ryoko in his hold. "Guess I'll go help out the Amazons then."

She watched Ukyo leave with a grateful smile. Akane checked up on the boys behind her. "Takumi!" she shouted. "Wait for my signal!" and with that she ran off once again.

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at the middle schooler. "… Signal? A signal for what, brat?"

"I don't know what she's talking about," Takumi replied, feigning innocence. "Did you forget that she was your mother and not mine?"

"Oh, aren't you clever?"

Takumi hid a wince from Ryuku's punch that met his chest. "You know, there's been something bothering me for awhile now."

"What's that?"

"You're not Ryuku right?"

"You could say that," Ryuku replied. "But you could also _not_ say that. I like to think of myself as the better, more masculine, Ryuku."

"That's interesting."

"I guess it is," the redhead laughed. "Ryoko's the dull part. But I guess the mirror can't make everyone perfect."

"So, you know about the mirror?"

"Of course, I do! I'm not stupid!"

"… Then you know how the mirror works?"

Ryuku's grin faltered slightly. "Well, not exactly."

"Have you ever thought about the benefits of something that powerful?"

"Just what are you getting at, brat?"

"You're certainly strong," Takumi answered. "Way stronger than the original Ryuku. Plus, you are far stronger than me. The only person who seemed to give you any problems was Ryoko."

"Are you kidding me?" Ryuku snorted. "Ryoko's too busy being a girly girl."

"You _are_ stupid," Takumi stated. "Did you already forget about that fight you had with her?"

"… She sucked."

"She's fairing pretty well against those three isn't she?" Takumi inclined his head towards the fight across from them. Ryuku spared a quick glance over there. A scowl formed on his lips. "If you think she's wasting that strength, why don't you just take it from her?"

"You think I could do that?"

"Why couldn't you?" Takumi asked. "You both came from that mirror. If you think about it that strength belongs to you."

Ryuku dropped his fists. "… I hate to admit it but you actually have a point."

"All you need is to get her out of the picture," the middle schooler said. "Then all that strength is all yours. Do you know how powerful you'll be after that? Jeez, I don't even think anyone could stand up to you!"

A giddy laugh came from the redhead. "Aw, knock it off, brat! You're getting me all excited!" he scratched at his cheek in thought. "But there's only one problem here. I don't have that dumb mirror."

"It just so happens that I know where it is."

* * *

"Hey, mom! Give me that mirror!"

Akane had been watching Ryoko the whole time. She was startled by the sudden shout. Looking to the side, she saw Ryuku running towards her. The redhead's eyes were on the mirror. Behind Ryuku, Akane could see Takumi waving at her.

"Just what did he tell him?" Akane muttered. She shook her head, ridding herself of the thought. This was it.

Genma had situated himself with Ryuku at a reasonable distance. Akane held the mirror out in front of her. "Hey, over here!"

After several failed attempts, Mousse finally succeeded in wrapping Ryoko with his ropes and chains and even Ukyo's noodles. Lotion grabbed the sides of Ryoko's face, forcing the girl to look over towards the mirror. Genma gently righted his grandson's face so that he looked into the mirror. Once all six pairs of eyes locked onto the mirror there was a blinding flash.

Once everything had cleared up, Lotion gazed down at the ropes, chains, and noodles at her feet. The male separation that had been running towards Akane had vanished. The only Ryuku that remained was the one sitting on the wheelchair. With a gasp and tears in her eyes, Akane dropped the mirror onto the street, making a beeline for her son. As she had done earlier, she brought Ryuku into a tight embrace. Within seconds, Ryuku found himself being engulfed in a crowd of people.

Awkwardly, Ryuku patted his mother on the back. "Mom, what's going on?"

"Ryuku!" she cried. "Thank God! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Meanwhile, the neglected mirror lay innocently on the streets. A large hand picked up the object, their eyes focused onto the crowd not too far away from them. No one noticed that the mirror had mysteriously vanished.

* * *

Every time the door to the pawn shop opened, Tetsuo Makanai fully anticipated the dull tune that sounded. His shop rarely had any customers. Whenever the shop _did_ attract a potential customer's attention they usually left empty handed. He groaned when the door opened, thereby triggering the nauseating tune that made Tetsuo want to rip his ears off. Tetsuo didn't bother to glance away from the thick novel he had placed before him. He continued to flip the pages, the quick blur of black text doing nothing to catch his interest on the novel's subject matter. The owner had his elbow propped onto the edge of the counter, an outdated cash register placed next to him that was filled with tiny knickknacks instead of actual money. He rested his chin onto his palm, while his fingers idly scratched the grey stubble on his cheek.

"What do you want?" was Tetsuo's usual greeting to anyone that stumbled upon his shop.

There was a deep chuckle. "Hello, friend, I come bearing a gift."

Tetsuo's lips fell to a frown. He slammed his book shut, carelessly sliding it off the counter, and straightened his posture. "_You_," he grunted. "After twenty five years of not seeing your foreign ass, you come waltzing in here with a gift? What do you want from me a hug?"

Mr. Peddle laughed. "Ah, still as friendly as ever, I see."

"Ah," Tetsuo mocked. "Still as much as an asshole as ever, I see."

"I know you well enough that you'd never turn down a gift."

Tetsuo rolled his eyes. "Right," he said. "We know each other alright. So well that I don't even know you name. Unless your name really _is_ Mr. Peddler."

"Now, now, Tetsuo, there's no need for this hate. We're all friends here, aren't we?"

The snort from the man behind the register told Mr. Peddler otherwise. "Just show your _gift_ so I can kick your ass out of here."

With a grin, Mr. Peddler pulled a mirror from his robe. He carefully placed the object onto the counter and slid it in front of Tetsuo. Tetsuo leaned down to look into the mirror. He raised an unimpressed eyebrow at his reflection that stared back at him, and then glanced up at the peddler. Silently, Tetsuo bent down to pick up the novel he had tossed behind him. Using the spine, he proceeded to smash the mirror apart.

"You can take it back," Tetsuo grunted, as he shoved the broken mirror forward. "Did you really think I was some narcissistic asshole? I hate looking at my old ass."

"So modest, friend," Mr. Peddler chuckled. "I've also brought some items for your humble shop."

"Have you now?"

"Oh, yes. I assure you that I do."

"Just drop your shit off and get the hell out of my shop."

"I've left my cart outside," Mr. Peddler replied. "I'll be right back, my friend."

The peddler took his time exiting his supposed friend's shop. When he swung the door open, his cart was waiting for him next to the door. As he skimmed over the items, he immediately noticed a missing object. His eyes left his cart to land on a familiar black and white panda running off.

A pleased laugh left his lips, while his hands gripped onto the wooden handles of his cart. "Enjoy it, my friend."

* * *

Genma wiped the full length mirror with the rag Akane had handed him. Her father-in-law had been suspicious ever since he arrived at her house with the object. Akane was cautious of allowing him inside her home. After the last stunt he pulled with a mirror, Akane wasn't sure what was going to happen with this other mirror Genma had brought with him. After he finished wiping the noticeable smudges off the mirror, Genma faced his grandson and daughter-in-law, who were seated behind a table.

"What do you have there, Genma?" Akane asked.

"It's the actual 'Mirror of True Selves'!" Genma exclaimed dramatically. "Don't look at me like that, child. I'm sure it is! I checked myself with that book of Mousse's!"

Akane remained doubtful. "But—"

"Silence! Just watch a miracle happen!" Ryuku's grandpa grinned at the redhead, who still hadn't quite gotten over what had happened to him. "Boy, would you please hand me that water bottle?"

Hesitantly, Ryuku tossed the half full bottle at his grandpa. The bottle landed in Genma's outstretched hand. With a wide grin, Genma popped off the cap, and poured the rest of the water over his head. The panda quickly faced the mirror. As the panda's reflection, there was a grinning Genma. The animal began to jump up and down, grumbling out meaningless sounds that no one but Genma understood.

Akane walked over to look at the mirror. "What are you trying to show us here, Genma?"

Ryuku simply shook his head.

Seeing that she was getting nowhere with the excited animal, Akane let out a sigh. "Genma, get out."

* * *

_Mirror of True Selves (Full sized mirror)_ – An ancient relic of unknown properties that is possibly from Chinese or Babylonian origins. The mirror uses the chi of the viewer to show their true form no matter what (this reflects chi).

_Mirror of Consequences (Handheld mirror)_ – An ancient relic of unknown properties that is possibly from Chinese or Babylonian origins. The mirror uses the chi of the viewer to sense a curse. It splits the chi into two separate physical bodies with their own individuality.


	16. Filler 3: Time of the Season: P1

**********Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

To answer **Rumic Fan**'s question: I certainly have not forgotten about the Kunos! Rest assured that as the story progresses many other familiar characters, along with their children, will show up! ;)

* * *

**Filler:** Time of the Season: Part 1

A man adorned in a wrinkled business suit left a local bar at exactly three minutes before two o'clock in the morning. As the man stumbled forward, he began to belt out a slurred melody that echoed down the lit streets. From a fair distance, the intoxicated business man heard the same tune that he had been singing, shortly followed by a woman's gentle laughter. The man ventured a few more wobbly steps forward until he found the source of the music. The music appeared to be echoing from the darkness of an alleyway. Without a moment of hesitance, the man entered the alleyway. With each step further, his dress shoes stepped into a fresh glob of mud. The man steadied himself by keeping his hand pressed onto the rough bricked walls that encased on either side of him. Perhaps it was simply his imagination or due to his drunken state, but it seemed the alleyway stretched on forever.

But despite this, the man continued his supposed journey down the alleyway. The faint music beckoned him. The woman's distant laughter clenched around his beating heart and urged him to go on, to find her. By the time the business man had reached the end of the alley, the music along with the woman's laughter drifted away. Crouched beside the alleyway's dumpster were two young women. The women were oblivious of the man's presence, as they quietly talked amongst themselves. One of the women heaved a dramatic sigh, before she went to stand onto her feet.

She stretched her arms above her head; her emerald colored eyes deliberately avoided the man. As the young woman moved, the many golden bracelets worn on both of her arms jingled. Unlike the woman's companion, the woman who had stood up was dressed in one color: white. The outfit she wore was anything but modest. On the woman's lower half, she wore a layered floor length skirt that had elaborate hand woven designs displayed over the hem and middle section. A ruffled sash was wrapped around the woman's waist serving as a belt for the long skirt.

When the woman shifted her arms backwards, her long sleeved top that simply covered her breasts uncovered more of her midsection. A tired mewl escaped her lips as she stretched out her stiff muscles. She pulled at the transparent white sash around her head and adjusted it somewhat over her long silky white hair. The woman purposefully turned towards the man, her arms crossed behind her head, and greeted the man with a catlike grin.

"Hello, hello, hello," the woman chirped. She stepped in front of the man to take a good look at his face. Her nose wrinkled from the alcohol that wafted from him. "Sir, have you been having yourself a fun early morning?"

Suddenly, the woman's companion bumped her shoulders with the other. "Why, I think he has, Salt!"

The man shamelessly gawked at the other woman, who presented herself before him. Unlike her partner, the woman was dressed in a much darker color: black. Compared to the newly introduced woman, the other wore a more revealing outfit. Instead of a skirt, the woman wore a loose pair of dancing gypsy bottoms that showed the definite shape of her long legs. On her upper body, she wore a sleeveless top that exposed much of her tanned skin. A black sash fit snuggly over her short curly black hair. With every little movement the tanned woman made, her various types of jewelry all over her body jingled along with her.

Salt nodded her head in agreement with her companion. "I agree, Pepper!"

"What a silly man," Pepper giggled. "Why don't we cheer him up?"

"That sounds like a marvelous idea!"

In an instant, the man suddenly found himself back at his house. There was the smell of something cooking coming from the kitchen. The man was puzzled by this; since neither he nor his son could cook the kitchen was often left unused. He went inside the kitchen, finding himself, staring at the back of a woman who was stirring a wooden spoon in a large pot.

The dull thud of the man's briefcase falling onto the floor startled the woman. She glanced behind her to stare at the man, who seemed to be in a state of shock.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she scolded. But the sweet smile on her lips greatly contradicted her chastising tone. The woman gently placed the wooden spoon on the cutting board she had left next to the oven. She sauntered over to the man to bring him into a welcoming embrace. "Welcome home, dear. I missed you. Did you have a good day at work?"

Noting the lack of response from the man, the woman pulled away slightly to gaze up into his eyes. "What's wrong, dear? You look like you've seen a ghost."

In response, the man gawked at the woman before him. He took a cautious step away from the woman. "But you are—you're _dead_, Karin," he rasped out weakly. "You've been dead for two years now."

The woman broke into a fit of giggles. "How can I be dead, Tsukasa?" she asked. "I'm right here, aren't I?" her smile faltered from his unnerving expression. With a soft sigh, she curled her hand around his wrist, and placed his hand against her chest. "You feel my heart don't you? I'm alive."

The man let out a strangled cry before he brought the woman into a tight embrace. "… You're alive."

"There, there, dear, it's alright now," she led him over to the oven. "I made your favorite for dinner." she retrieved the spoon to dip some of the soup's broth onto it, and then led the utensil to her husband's mouth. "Here. Have a little taste."

Without a moment of hesitation, the man opened his mouth. Once the broth touched is taste buds, his tongue was left with the definitive taste that this really was his wife's cooking. "_How?_ I thought you…" he shook his head. "Can this really be happening?"

"Tsukasa…"

"If this isn't real, Karin, I don't know what I'll do," he moved her hand against his cheek to press his lips onto her soft, warm skin. "This is real right?"

"This is real. I promise."

When the man suddenly found himself back in the alleyway, he stared down at his briefcase laid out on the dirt. The taste of his wife's meal lingered on his tongue. With a little shake of his head, he bent down to pick up his suitcase and promptly left the alleyway.

"Damn drinks messing with my head again," he muttered to himself.

It wasn't until the business man reached his house that he noticed his wallet was missing.

* * *

The last place Ryuku to find himself was at the festival. In all honesty, he'd rather be somewhere else. Today was Ryuku's day off. It was very rare for his boss, Shampoo, to offer him such a luxury. According to Shampoo, holidays only hindered business.

Ryuku followed after his cousin, Misaki, who had begged to be taken to the festival. Spending a few hours at the festival wouldn't be so bad. Ryuku couldn't help but notice his cousin bubbling up from excitement. In his hand, he held onto a bag that was filled with the night's spoils. The contents were mostly candy and small prizes both of them won at various booths.

"Come on!" Misaki grabbed onto Ryuku's hand and gently tugged him over to another booth. She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, pointing her finger at what had caught her eye.

Ryuku's eyes landed on a large pink stuffed elephant. "That's what you have your heart set on, huh?" he teased lightly.

Misaki bobbed her head up and down. "Can you get it for me, Ryuku?" she begged. "Please?" her lips formed into a cute pout, while her eyes twinkled with hope.

Ryuku ruffled her hair about. "How can I say no to you when you're looking at me like that?"

The two cousins patiently waited in the short line. Ryuku spent the time in line to observe how the game was played. Once it was his turn up, Ryuku shuffled in his pocket for the amount of money he'd need, smacked it on the table, and picked up the toy gun. Carefully, he aimed the iron sights of the gun at the target. He pulled the trigger, pleased to see that he had sent the fake ammo in the right spot. A delighted squeal from Misaki made Ryuku proud of his accomplishment. The man operating the booth handed her the prize she wanted. Misaki squeezed the stuffed animal against her cheek, grinning up at her cousin.

He held his hand out for Misaki to take. "Where do you want to go next?"

Misaki slipped her hand into his. "We could just walk around."

"_Ryuku!_"

Without warning, Misaki felt Ryuku's fingers slip from her grip. She blinked in confusion, her eyes searching around her for her cousin. Ryuku had been shoved a few feet away from her, tightly latched onto him was Lotion. The Amazon's tightened her arms around the redhead, despite his frantic attempts to slip out of her clutches. Lotion swooped forward, planning to give the redhead a big smooch, but was stopped when Ryuku slapped his palm over her mouth.

"Would you get off of me?" Ryuku asked.

Lotion batted her eyelashes at him, mouthing muffled words onto his palm.

Ryuku quickly took his hand back, sticking his tongue out in disgust when Lotion swiped her tongue on his skin. "Gross!"

"Do you really think I'm gross?" Lotion gasped. "All I want to do is show how much I—"

"My cousin's right there, dummy!" was Ryuku's swift outburst, thereby interrupting Lotion's unwanted confession.

"… Cousin?" she repeated slowly. Her eyes met with Misaki's. "Is she that little cutie over there?"

Seeing a perfect chance to escape, Ryuku removed Lotion's arms from around him, and went over to his cousin. He led Misaki away from Lotion, who was calling after them.

Meanwhile, across the festival grounds, two brothers were attempting to strengthen their brotherly bond. It was clear that the shortest of the pair was uninterested with everything going on around him, while the taller remained blissfully oblivious. Ryou had been discharged from the hospital sometime in the afternoon; when he was brought to the lobby to meet one of his family members, the last person he had expected to see was his little brother.

"Mother made me," had been his brother's answer. "She's off looking for father right now, and she didn't want you to get lost on the way home."

It was Ryou's idea to go to the festival rather than simply going home. Takumi wasn't thrilled with the suggestion, but kept his mouth shut. Not to risk getting lost, Takumi reluctantly led his older brother to the festival.

Ryou pointed his good arm over at a stand. "Doesn't that look fun, Takumi?"

"Nothing here looks fun," Takumi said. "You're lucky I even bothered to bring you to this shithole."

"Takumi, let's just have some fun, okay?"

"It's hard to have fun when this place sucks."

"Could you at least try?" Ryou asked. "For your older brother's sake…?"

Takumi snorted. "How about I humor you?"

* * *

Misaki was ahead of Ryuku. The last time she checked on her cousin he was desperately trying to shake Lotion off of his arm. Everything around her seemed to have lost its luster. She wasn't particularly hungry nor was she interested at playing another game. Misaki was about to ask Ryuku to take her home, when her eyes found a stage that was slightly secluded from the festival itself. The performance was being blocked by the rather sizable amount of people crowded in front of the stage.

She closed the distance between her and her cousin, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pointed over to the crowd. The two cousins walked over to the stage, while Lotion trailed after them at a close distance. Misaki stood onto her tiptoes in an attempt to see what was going on. Ryuku knelt down next to his cousin, only to get back up the next second when Misaki climbed onto his back. He hooked his arms underneath her legs, and began to make his way to the front stage.

The performers on the stage were two young women, who were dancing rather sensationally.

Lotion smiled at the redhead next to her, she nudged him with her elbow. "Are those the kind of women you like, Ryuku?"

Ryuku chose to roll his eyes rather than answer her question.

* * *

Takumi knew he wasn't imagining things. He had seen Misaki. The middle schooler ignored whatever his brother was saying to follow after Misaki. She suddenly turned around to tug on someone's shirt. Takumi immediately recognized the red hair. Of course, she'd be with her _cousin_. The two cousins slipped off slightly away from the festival itself, they appeared to be walking over to a stage. Without a second thought, Takumi went after them.

"Takumi, where are you going?"

"Leave me alone," Takumi said. "Just go get lost or something."

But Ryou ignored what his brother said. He went after Takumi, who by now was getting lost in a crowd of people that were in front of a stage. Ryou couldn't help but feel his gaze being pulled onto the dancers performing. It was almost as if he was being entranced, that he had to watch them or else he'd miss something important. The women circled around each other, throwing each other looks. The woman dressed in white continued to dance, while the other dressed in black moved her arms in circles.

Ryou walked into the front of the stage, he hadn't even realized he had been walking still. The woman in white noticed his accident and giggled at him. With a wink, she approached him, going down on one knee.

She touched the side of his face. "Hey cutie," she said. "How'd you hurt your arm?"

Ryou couldn't form any words.

"That's okay, you don't need to tell me," she laughed. "Just enjoy the show, alright?"

* * *

Not only had her cousin suddenly disappeared but so had the entire festival grounds. All the people, the stands—everything vanished. Misaki stood in the middle of the streets, her eyes darting from side to side every now and then, to search for any sign of Ryuku popping up. Surely, her cousin hadn't forgotten about her. She wrapped her arms tighter around the stuffed animal she held onto her chest. He couldn't have forgotten about her could he? Misaki bit her bottom lip, burying her face against the fake pink fur.

Ryuku could've run off with that girl. Misaki squeezed her arms harder onto the stuffed toy from the horrible thought. She had no right hanging all over her cousin like that. Misaki quickly dismissed the very idea that something like that could happen. Ryuku would never leave her behind. That didn't sound like him. Her cousin was probably in a state of panic, trying to look for her. Misaki released her hold on the stuffed animal; she pulled it away from her chest to take one of the furry fake paws in her hand.

If she simply stood in place, Ryuku would never find her. Misaki sauntered down the streets. Farther down the streets was a young woman sweeping. As Misaki neared the woman, she realized it was her mother. Misaki's eyes flickered to the property behind her mother. She was sweeping in front of Ryuku's house. Her mother was quick to notice. However, instead of giving her, her usual smile as a greeting, her mother's smile dropped into a small frown.

"Oh my," she said. "What are you doing here, little girl?"

* * *

Before Ryuku could grasp the situation, he was suddenly submerged in water. Having been through the process of a Jusenkyo curse for most of his life, Ryuku was barely aware of the body change. Ryuku gasped, thrashing her arms about, while cool water immediately gushed into her open mouth. After flailing about for several moments, Ryuku realized she had landed in a shallow area. The-boy-turned-girl abruptly went into an upright position. She spat the water from her mouth, while she shook her head to rid the excess water that mopped her hair down.

Ryuku turned her head side to side, quickly taking note that she was in a water reservoir. Lately, this seemed to be a common occurrence for her. Using her index finger, she flicked the hair out of her eyes. Finding herself in an area like this without any explanation was awfully random.

"I could've sworn I was just with Misaki," Ryuku inclined her head back to stare up at the cloudy blue sky. "… Wasn't it night time? This doesn't make any sense." She raked her fingers through her wet black tresses. "Well, just sitting here isn't going to solve anything."

She made a move to get onto her feet, but halted when she heard a loud squeal near the vicinity. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something flailing around in the water. Ryuku turned her head for a better look. Struggling to keep afloat in the canal was none other than her best friend, Ryou Hibiki.

"Ryou!"

* * *

The last thing Ryou remembered was being by his brother's side at a festival. Ryou's ears picked up the sound of someone shouting his name. The lost boy squealed for assistance, desperately hoping for an emergency rescue of some sort. It was hard enough to keep from drowning with a bad arm, or in better terms, a bad hoof.

A relieved snort came from the piglet, as he was being lifted up by the bandana he had tied around his neck. Ryou lifted his eyes from up the cluttered water to look at the face of his savior. He'd be sure to properly show the person how grateful he was for saving his life, of course. Or at least attempt to express himself as best as he could as a piglet. However, when his eyes met his rescuer's face, who turned out to be Ryuku, his jaw dropped and a bloodcurdling squeal left Ryou's lips.

"I have to get out of here!" was Ryou's frantic thought. Without warning, he chomped his teeth into Ryuku's hand.

Ryuku yelped at the painful bite. "_Ouch!_ What the hell, Ryou!" She figured that his uncalled for action was due to his state of panic, which he obviously hadn't come down from. "Chill out, man. It's only me! I'm not going to eat you!"

The lost boy blocked out every single word his supposed best friend was telling him. Instead, he opted to clamp down even harder. Ryuku bit on her bottom lip to prevent any curses from leaving her lips. Hearing offensive words were probably the last thing that Ryou needed to hear.

Ryuku refrained from striking her friend. She clenched her eyes shut, struggling to think of a proper way to relax her friend. But it was difficult to think straight when a furious animal was refusing to dislodge its ridiculously sharp teeth from one's skin. The last straw for Ryuku was when Ryou began to frantically smack her with his hooves. Without much thought on her part, an agitated Ryuku flung the small animal over the fence.

Right when Ryou landed onto the concrete, he hightailed away from there. He ran as fast as his little hooves could take him. But it wasn't particularly easy with an unclear mind and a broken limb. Ryou tossed a quick glance back over his shoulder to check if he was being followed. It was obvious that he had pissed off Ryuku. But after everything that had happened during his friend's last visit, he definitely didn't want to stick around to see what his friend would do.

Too absorbed in his thoughts, Ryou barely had time to notice a person walking in front of him. He bumped into the back of their legs. Ryou squealed out an apology, before he quickly walked around the legs and continued forward. However, he was suddenly lifted off of his hooves, and was left staring into a pair of brown eyes. Ryou squeaked in confusion, he flailed around somewhat, only then realizing he was being held in place by hands.

"And where do you think you're going?" It was a girl. "It's been a week since I saw you last, P-chan!" and without warning, Ryou was crushed onto the girl's chest. He flushed, snorting out another brief apology, as he attempted to squiggle away from her bosom.

After somehow managing to turn away from her chest, Ryou's eyes immediately landed on Ryuku, who stood a few feet away from them. The lost boy's first reaction was to leap out of the girl's hold and flee, but the expression on Ryuku's face prevented him from doing so. The look that his friend wore was a flabbergasted one. Ryuku's eyes were wide with her eyebrows shot up under her bangs, her mouth slightly agape.

"Is there something you need?" the girl asked.

And just like that, Ryuku's expression vanished. She pressed her lips together, crossing her arms over chest, while she glanced off to the side. "… That pig, it sort of," she stopped.

"Sort of what?" the girl finished. "I'm sorry, but my P-chan belongs to me," as if to prove a point, she glanced down at Ryou to give him a sweet smile. "Isn't that right baby?"

Ryou blinked, unsure if he was supposed to respond. He opened his mouth, only to shut it a second later. Even if he did say something, there was a very low chance that this girl could understand piglet. The girl simply giggled and then leaned down to give Ryou's snout a quick peck.

"Huh?"

The lost boy shook his head, knocking the shock away from him. He stared up at the girl, before following after her eyes.

Ryuku was gone.

"… Where'd she go?" the girl wondered aloud. "It doesn't matter. Let's go, P-chan."

* * *

Lotion could've sworn that she had been with Ryuku and his cousin. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered shut to block the scenery around her. The festival, she had been at a festival. She had stumbled upon the local festivities when she sneaked out of through the backdoor of the Cat Café, her mother none the wiser. Surely, after fifteen minutes or so, her mother must've noticed her daughter's disappearance. Lotion knew when she returned home, she'd earn herself a lengthy lecture from her mother. Originally, the Amazon had planned to take a short stroll, to clear her mind and to get some fresh air.

It had been a hectic day for her. Ryuku was given the day off, most likely due to the whole mirror incident awhile ago, and while Lotion had several other waitresses to help her—the Amazon couldn't help but miss the presence of the redhead around her. The _missing_ was strictly platonic, of course, as Lotion had no feelings towards him in that way. Perhaps it was simply because she had grown so used to having Ryuku around the Cat Café. Despite everything that had happened between them, Lotion believed that some things had changed between them.

Lotion remembered how her heart clenched in nostalgia when she had found the place. A smile played over her lips, her fingers absently fiddled with the pendant of the necklace Ryuku had given her, and went to explore the festival grounds. Her mind couldn't help but supply her with the memory of the last time she'd been here. She could almost see her younger self eyeing the numerous stands, yearning to participate with the other children as they laughed with their friends.

But she didn't let herself become too observed with the festivities. The longer she stayed away from the restaurant, meant the longer the lecture she would receive from her unhappy mother. A wistful sigh left her lips, as she prepared to leave the area. However, she certainly hadn't expected to find Ryuku at a place like this. Not too far from where Lotion stood was Ryuku, who was handing a rather large stuffed animal to a young girl.

Certainly, her mother would be more lenient if she had found out that her disappearance was due to a certain redhead. A twinge of guilt washed over Lotion, using Ryuku like that wouldn't make her any better than her mother. But her eyes could only see the booths; her ears could only hear the merry laughter, her nose could only smell the scent of delicious food, and her guilt dissipated in a matter of seconds.

From there, Lotion opened her eyes, expecting to find herself in the middle of a booth game. But the only thing in her line of vision was the Cat Café, silently beckoning for her to come inside and begin the day.

Lotion's shoulders dropped. "Was it all my imagination?" she shook her head, ridding herself of the disappointment that had settled, and entered the restaurant.

The Amazon went through her usual routine whenever she arrived at the café. She tidied up the main area; meanwhile setting tables back to their rightful place and adjusting chairs. After finishing that task, Lotion checked everything behind the cash register, making sure everything was properly stocked—menus, plastic bags for take-out, chopsticks—everything seemed to be in perfect order.

Lotion took in the empty restaurant. It was always so peaceful before opening time. After having spent several years dealing with frequent customers in the café, Lotion still couldn't quite get used to everything. She headed inside the kitchen, retrieving a frilly pink apron from the coat hanger in the corner. As she secured the apron onto her, her eyes went to the purple clock hanging above the kitchen door.

"That's odd," she announced when she saw the time. "It's already past the time we open."

She swung the door slightly forward to peek at the eating area once again. It was just as she had seen it last: completely empty. How odd. At this time of day, the Cat Café was already bustling with hungry customers. Lotion moved away from the door, she shouldn't be wasting her time over such trivial things. The Cat Café had times when no one was around. Although, the only times that happened was before the café opened and when the café closed.

Lotion whisked those pesky thoughts away and immediately set to work. She retrieved several bags of fresh vegetables from the fridge, brought them over to sink, and began to thoroughly wash them. As she set a large carrot down, she heard the kitchen door swinging open. Lotion paid little mind to this, it was most likely one of the waitresses showing up for her shift.

Without warning, she was enveloped in a tight embrace. "_Shampoo!_" a very familiar voice cried. "At last, I have you in my arms!"

Due to the sudden hug, Lotion hadn't heard any of the words spoken; her only intent at the moment was to get the arms away from her body. With a simple turn of her hand, the cold water stopped gushing over the neglected vegetables. Lotion spun around, while her hands held onto the assailant's arms, and abruptly tossed them over her shoulder. A horrified gasp came from the Amazon when she saw who she had thrown.

Lotion was quick to assist the mistaken assailant back onto his feet. "Father, I'm so sorry!"

"Father?" was all Mousse replied, clearly confused. He leaned forward closer towards Lotion, his index finger shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Lotion's eyes widened. She recognized those swirly glasses. It was the very same pair that her father had worn during an argument with her mother. In a fit of rage, her mother had snatched the glasses from him, and smashed it under her foot. Lotion had approached her father once her mother stormed into her bedroom.

Her father bent down to pick up the crushed spectacles, an unreadable mask on his face. "Lotion," he had started, giving his daughter a light smile. "Could you throw these away for daddy?" But Lotion hadn't done what her father had asked of her, and instead kept the pair inside her jewelry box.

Mousse cupped his chin. "… Shampoo, is that you?" he asked. "You look like Shampoo," he leaned in even closer towards Lotion. "You even _smell_ like my beloved Shampoo." With a chuckle and a small shake of his head, Mousse sudden exclaimed with his arms outstretched in front of him. "What the heck am I doing? Shampoo, my love, come to my arms!"

Lotion ducked underneath him, successfully avoiding another hug. She attempted to reason with her father. But all attempts proved to be useless, as Mousse continued to chase her around the kitchen, while loudly proclaiming his undying love for her mother. This charade lasted for several minutes, with Lotion unsure of what was going on and what she should do, until the kitchen door swung open once more. Lotion turned to see the new arrival, hoping it was someone who could possibly provide some sort of assistance to her dilemma.

When her eyes landed on the person, it felt as though her heart stopped beating and her brain stopped functioning. It was her great-great grandmother, who looked very healthy and also very alive.

"What's going on here?" Cologne demanded calmly. Her eyes skimmed over the kitchen to check for any damages, before they finally settled on Lotion. "Shampoo?" she hopped forward, using her long wooden staff as a pogo stick, to closer inspect the girl. "No. You're not my grandchild." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "May I ask what you're doing here, child?"

Lotion's knees wobbled. She opened her mouth but no words would form. Finally, she collapsed onto the tiled floor, unable to hold herself up anymore from the shock. "G-Great-great grandmother," she murmured breathlessly. "But you're… _alive_. And I," she eyes stared helplessly at Cologne. "I don't understand what's going on, great-great grandmother!"

Cologne simply looked the girl up and down from head to toe. "… You're an Amazon."

Mousse took this time to intervene the conversation. "An Amazon?" his head looked left and right. "Who are you talking to you dried up woman?"

Cologne's lips curled into a frown. "Don't you have some tables to clean?"

A matching frown form on Mousse's lips, he began to exit the kitchen, while mumbling insults towards a certain older woman under his breath.

Impatient, Cologne bonked the back of Mousse's head with the top of her staff. "Hurry it up! Those tables aren't going to clean themselves!" once Mousse was gone, Cologne turned her attention back on Lotion. "… Come along, child."

The young Amazon did as she was told, shakily getting her footing back, and followed Cologne to a tiny table shoved in the corner of the kitchen. Cologne gestured towards the empty seat, which Lotion immediately took. She wiped at the moisture forming around her eyes, while she breathed in and out to calm herself down. Cologne watched her do so with a calculating gaze.

Lotion placed her hand over her beating heart. It was as if she was a child again, back at the village—away from everything. Her great-great grandmother had treasured her greatly, showering Lotion with so much love that made up the affections she had lacked in receiving from her mother. She was spoiled rotten given anything she wanted even when she hadn't earned it. Lotion had learned so much from Cologne—from Amazon martial arts all the way to ancient Amazon customs. The one thing that Cologne had forgotten to tell her was death.

The last time she had seen her great-great grandmother was so long ago. Cologne had tucked her in bed after telling her Lotion's favorite story of her great-great grandmother's past. With a kiss on the forehead, a warm smile, and a loved filled, "Good night, my child". Lotion would not find out about her great-great grandmother's death until her body was long gone. She had died peacefully in her sleep; all those hundreds of years finally caught up to her and claimed her life. If she had known that that would be the last time she'd see her, she would've told her so much more. The simple goodbye she had left her meant nothing.

"Are you here for Shampoo?" Cologne's inquiry instantly snapped Lotion back into reality, if this truly _was_ reality.

Lotion shook her head. "No, I'm," What could she possibly say? "I'm. I don't understand what's going on."

Cologne gave her a small smile. "I'm willing to hear you out."

A short giggle came from Lotion's lips. She couldn't help herself. Cologne had always been willing to listen to whatever Lotion had to say. "Would you believe me if I said I was your great-great granddaughter?"

In response, Cologne simply hummed, contemplating the question. "I have seen and heard stranger things," she chuckled. "You're an honest girl. I can see it in your eyes, on your face, from the way you hold yourself."

"D-Do you believe me?"

"You do share a great resemblance with my great granddaughter," Cologne said. "But I see someone else in you. You have another's eyes."

"My eyes?" she brushed her fingertips around the skin near her right eye. "My father—"

Cologne gently shushed Lotion. "I needn't know the identity of your father. Something tells me I won't like the answer," she paused, a soft chuckle leaving her lips. "I'm willing to find out the answer myself when the time comes, of course." Cologne swayed slightly on her staff. "Tell me, child, what's your name?"

"Lotion."

"Lotion," Cologne repeated. "What are you planning on doing here in Nerima?"

The Amazon stared down at her lap. "May I…" she bit her lip, "May I spend the day with you?"

* * *

"What the fuck." were the first three words out of Takumi's mouth when he realized he was now alone.

Takumi stood where he was, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, as he replayed the last few moments in his head. He had been at one of those shitty events—a festival, to be more exact—one that his brother had dragged him to. The middle schooler wasn't quite sure why he even agreed to tag along. It was clear that he had no interest at a place like that. Not when he could be doing something more valuable and useful with his time. He supposed the only suitable answer was that he had done it out of pity.

His lips formed a thin line. He wasn't even on the festival grounds anymore. It was as if he had been teleported to a different spot without any sort of explanation. Takumi knew he wasn't being delusional. He had remembered everything he had done at the festival. The taste of fatty greasy food still burned in his mouth, the annoying sounds of kids popping firecrackers still sounded against his eardrums. It was difficult to forget annoying things like that. He wrapped his hand around the handle of the cheap plastic paddleball, that he had swiped from an unaware child, and retrieved it from his back pocket.

There was no point in looking for his brother. He had already tossed the idea when he found that Ryou was no longer by his side. His time would be spent more useful if he didn't bother to look for someone who was probably halfway through Hokkaido. Takumi sauntered down the street. He skimmed over the settings around him, while he idly played with the paddleball.

In the air, there was the distinct aroma of okonomiyaki. Takumi wrinkled his nose in distaste. Having spent most of his thirteen years working at his mother's restaurant, where an overabundance of okonomiyaki was available, had made Takumi prefer the food less and less. Takumi wasn't surprised when his mother's restaurant came into view. However, what _did_ surprise the middle schooler were the numerous people going in and out of the eatery. That was strange. He had never seen so many people _willingly_ head inside Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.

Takumi stopped moving the paddleball; the red rubber ball missed the paddle instead colliding with Takumi's cheek. He didn't even flinch. He simply snapped the paddleball in half and tossed it over his shoulder. Takumi hesitated upon entering the restaurant. Considering how much business his mother was getting, right when he stepped inside, his mother would throw an apron at him and demand assistance.

He never fully understood why his mother insisted he help out. His mother had shunned him from approaching customers, claiming that his sour attitude did little to keep customers from wanting to stick around. Dismissing those thoughts, Takumi went inside to find that the restaurant was nearly packed with eager patrons waiting for, or needing to order, a meal. Takumi weaved through the crowd, forcing himself a pathway in order to reach his mother. Surrounding the teenager were irritated shouts of fury, demanding that Takumi go to the back of the line.

Takumi's eyes were locked onto the back of his mother's head. She had her back turned to him, oblivious to everything as she took her time to pay particular attention to the okonomiyaki she was cooking on the griddle. Takumi shoved his way between two customers that were seated at the counter; he curled his hands onto the countertop. When his mother faced him, he'd simply inform her that Ryou's whereabouts were now unknown and then leave for the house.

Maybe when he arrived at the, most likely, empty Hibiki household, he'd be able to finally sneak in some time to train. His parents had been adamant that their youngest son refrain from using his fists until they were properly healed. Of course, Takumi hadn't listened to their warnings. But after what had happened during the whole mirror incident, Takumi had reluctantly did as his parents had asked. However, that hadn't meant the middle schooler would completely stop his training. He'd make do with focusing on other parts of his body.

Finally, his mother behind the stove turned to face her son. He opened his mouth to tell her his two cents only to snap it shut a second later. The woman that stood before him was no doubt his mother. It was hard to mistaken his mother for a different woman when he was positive that she was the only one that owned a large spatula. Takumi blinked rapidly, his mother was definitely younger than she should be. She was now Ryou's age.

A frown tugged on Ukyo's lips. "Hey now, I don't want to have any trouble," she noticed the commotion Takumi had caused by cutting to the front. "Why don't you be a good kiddo and go on to the back? You're not the only one who's hungry here!"

Takumi simply shrugged his shoulder. "Okay, fine," he grunted. "If it'll get me out of working, I'll do whatever you say, _mother_." He searched her face for a reaction.

"Well, what are you doing?" Ukyo asked. "Don't just stand there!" she shook her head. "What a strange kid. Does he go around calling everyone his mom?"

After twenty minutes had passed, the line hadn't made much progress forward. Takumi was still in the same spot. He was tempted to leave the eatery; it wasn't like he was going to actually order something. The only thing he was accomplishing by staying was: wasting his time. At least Ryou was probably spending his time wisely what with trying to find his way back to Nerima. Takumi settled on waiting another three minutes. Once those minutes were up he'd leave.

Behind Takumi, the doors to his mother's restaurant slammed open. Whoever had decided to dramatically enter, barged their way through the crowd, acting in a very similar fashion as Takumi had done earlier.

Ukyo bristled behind the counter. She waved the spatula in her hand wildly at the male, who had placed himself in the middle of two customers at the counter. "What do you think you're doing you idiot?" she shouted. "In case you haven't noticed I've got people to feed here! You can't just cut in line like that!"

"But Ukyo, it's urgent! I need your help!"

"You always need my help jackass!" Ukyo growled. "And I'll help you when it's your turn. Now get to the back of the line!"

Silently, Takumi watched the dejected boy make his way to the end of the line. Takumi stared at him, taking in the young male's appearance. The boy was unaware of Takumi's stares. Either that or chose to ignore him. He simply stared down at the flooring of the restaurant. Takumi couldn't help but claw at the bandage wrapped around his hands. The boy wasn't only familiar. He _knew _him. Takumi could recognize his father anywhere.

Takumi cleared his throat. "Hey stupid," he greeted the boy.

Immediately, the boy tensed up from the insult. His head whipped up to shoot Takumi a cold glare. "Who're you calling stupid?"

Takumi's lips fell to a scowl. He was shorter than the other boy by several inches. The middle schooler stood onto his tip toes to properly return the other's glare.

The boy leaned away from Takumi. "What are you doing?"

Takumi studied his face carefully. "Your name's Ryoga Hibiki, isn't it?"

The boy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "… Do I know you?"

Takumi simply chuckled. He fell back onto his heels. "Say I'm kind of new around here," he began. "Do you think you could give me directions somewhere?"

"Uh, I suppose I could," Ryoga muttered. "But I should warn you that—" he was cut off by Takumi's sudden bark of laughter.

"Are you kidding me?" Takumi snickered. "Do you think I'd ever take directions from _you_? Please. I'd rather ask an animal."

Ryoga scowled. "Why you—who do you think you are?"

Takumi continued to laugh. "It doesn't matter now does it? I already found out everything I needed to know." He glanced over his shoulder, noticing the line had moved up quite a bit. "You look awfully hungry. Why don't you take my place?"

The anger fizzled away from Ryoga's face. "What?"

"You look like a traveler," Takumi gestured his hand at Ryoga's backpack. "Am I right?"

"… I guess you could say that."

Takumi's smirk faltered slightly from the poignant expression Ryoga's face. He cleared his throat, puzzled on the guilt he was suddenly feeling. "Well," he huffed. "Cut me." he didn't bother to wait for an answer, as he walked around Ryoga and shoved him forward.

"Um, thanks?"

"Whatever."

* * *

The whole thing was a dream.

It was the only explanation that made any sense. There was no way that girl was his mother. Unless, she somehow stumbled upon the fountain of youth, but that reason was too farfetched to actually believe. She _had _to be asleep. Somehow, Ryou had interrupted her dream. Either that or it wasn't even actually her best friend. Maybe it was her subconscious playing tricks on her. Or perhaps the dream was some sort of strange nightmare.

Ryuku rolled the sleeve of her damp shirt; she rubbed at her skin, before she gave herself a hard pinch. She slowed down her steps, until she eventually came to a complete stop. Ryuku's eyes glanced at the concrete wall next to her. Ryuku curled one of her hands into a fist, before she swung it back and punched the wall.

She hissed from the pain now shooting up and down her arm and let her arm flop next to her side. "Ouch," she grunted. "Well, that was a bad idea."

The punch had left a rather sizeable dent into the concrete. She didn't know what to believe in anymore. If this was a dream, how was she supposed to wake herself up? Ryuku scanned over the area. She was near Dr. Tofu's clinic, at least a block away to be exact. Dream or not, she'd think much better, after she changed back to a guy.

* * *

Cologne had agreed to let Lotion stay by her side. The Amazon had expected her great-great grandmother to tell her to do her part around the restaurant, but none of the orders came. Instead, Cologne had sat her down in the middle of the eating area, and asked her what her favorite type of tea was.

Upon receiving the answer, a pleased grin went across Cologne's lips. "You have good taste child," she had told Lotion. "That is my favorite as well." with a soft chuckle, Cologne bounced away to the kitchen to brew them both a kettle of tea.

Lotion fidgeted in her seat, while she waited for her great-great grandmother's return. Given the current unexplainable situation, she was bewildered on what could have possibly caused whatever was going on. Half of her was tempted to drop the pleasantries and demand to find some answers. But the other half wanted to do anything but that, this half craved to be able to spend at least one more day with Cologne.

Even if whatever had caused this had something horrible happen; she'd worry about the consequences at another time. She doubted another opportunity would happen like this again. If it could, she would've tried figuring something out a long time ago. The shrill sound of a whistling kettle startled Lotion out of her thoughts. She leapt to her feet, rushing into the kitchen only to stop dead in her tracks, when Cologne hopped out holding a tray that held two teacups and a kettle.

"Were you planning on helping me, child?" Cologne asked, amused.

Lotion nodded. "O-Of course!" she reached for the tray, but Cologne simply guffawed and bounced around her.

"There's no need," she assured her. "Let's just sit down and enjoy some tea."

* * *

It would've made more sense to use the entrance to the clinic but Ryuku didn't want to chance it. Like she had done on several occasions before, Ryuku leapt over the fence that led to the back and slipped through the backdoor. She shut the door behind her, making sure to do so soundlessly, and began to creep down the hallway. All she needed to do was fetch a kettle and leave. Finding water and making a fire would be easy, but without something to heat the water in—those things were useless.

Further down the hall, Ryuku could hear Dr. Tofu's voice. Near the entrance of the hallway, there was an open door, which was most likely where the doctor was. For some reason, the kettle was always kept near the lobby—perhaps to make things quicker whenever Ryuku showed up as a girl. If she was able to slip past the room unseen, all she had to do was grab and go.

Dr. Tofu laughed. "She really got you this time!"

As Ryuku neared the room, she couldn't help but sneak inside, curiosity getting the better of her. Ryuku's eyes fall on the patient sitting directly in front of Dr. Tofu on a metal stool. Their back was facing towards her, completely unaware of Ryuku's stares. Next to the doctor was a small table, set on top of it was a open jar of cotton balls, a large bottle of disinfectant, and a tiny first aid kid. Dr. Tofu reached his hand out to pick up several cotton balls out of a jar; he quickly placed the disinfectant over them, before applying the disinfectant on the patient's face.

The patient's back straightened, making him change his slouched posture somewhat. His hands were fiddling with something attached to his hair, something that Ryuku couldn't quite see. "Could you be a little gentler with that stuff, doc?"

Ryuku blinked; the voice of the patient sounded familiar, yet at the same time seemed _un_familiar.

"I'm doing the best I can!" Dr. Tofu replied, his tone teasing. "Akane sure can pack a nasty punch, huh?"

The patient let out a rude snort. "That's the only thing the tomboy can do right!" he threw his hands up in the air, clearly frustrated, flinging what he held in his hands to his back.

Ryuku's eyes widened at the pigtail. Before she realized it, a squeak left her lips. She smacked her hands over her mouth, silently hoping neither the doctor nor the patient heard her. Unfortunately for her, the former glanced in her direction.

"Oh! Why hello there, miss!" Dr. Tofu greeted Ryuku with a warm smile. "What can I do for you?"

If this _was_ a dream that could explain why Dr. Tofu was acting like he never met her before. Suddenly, the patient turned his head to spare a glance in her direction.

Ryuku stiffened from the stare. "Um," she stammered dumbly. "I didn't mean to bother you."

Dr. Tofu laughed. "That's nonsense! You're not a bother!"

"Okay," Ryuku mumbled. "… Do you think I could get some hot water?"

"Certainly," Dr. Tofu said. "Just wait until I finish up with him," he patted his hand on the patient's shoulder. "And I'll go heat something for you."

Slowly, Ryuku nodded her head. She placed her hand on the doorframe, awkwardness settling around her as she simply stood in the hallway.

The doctor must've noticed her discomfort, for he was quick to beckon her inside the room. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Ryuku hesitated; was he expecting to hear her name? "… Ryoko."

"Right, Ryoko!" Dr. Tofu said. "Please, take a seat!"

Ryuku briskly went over to the unoccupied bed located next to the two. As Dr. Tofu continued to aid to the patient's injury, Ryuku couldn't help but look over at the pigtailed boy. The boy wore Chinese clothing, a red sleeveless top and black baggy pants. He appeared to be uninterested as he blankly blinked up at the ceiling, while Dr. Tofu wiped at his swollen red cheek with a ball of cotton balls held securely in place with a pair of tweezers.

After applying a large white bandage that covered up most of the patient's cheek, Dr. Tofu turned to tell Ryuku. "I'll go fetch you that hot water now! Be back in a jiffy!"

Neither of them bothered to watch the doctor leave the room.

The pigtailed boy tilted the stool back as he lifted his arms up over his head to stretch. He brought his arms back slightly to take the stiffness out of his arms. With a pleased sigh, he dropped his arms down onto his lap. His eyes glanced over towards Ryuku. "You know," he said. "You seem awfully familiar."

Ryuku fidgeted. "Do I?" she asked through a nervous chuckle.

The patient shrugged. "Well, a lot of people tend to know me," he told her. "You weren't lookin' for me or anything were you? You're not… some fiancée or nothin'."

She disregarded everything he had said to her. If this was a dream, she shouldn't bother with wasting time with conversation. "What's your name?"

He blinked. "My name?" he echoed. "It's—"

"_Ranma!_" another voice angrily boomed.

Suddenly, the girl Ryuku had met earlier stomped into the room. Still cradled in her arms was Ryou. The girl's eyes were glaring at the pigtailed boy.

He rolled his eyes and turned away from her. "What do you want now Akane?"

A scowl played over her lips. "Don't play dumb!" she said. "I know you did something to my poor P-chan!"

Ranma glanced over his shoulder to spare a quick glance at the black piglet in her arms. "What's wrong with the porker?"

She marched in front of him and thrust the pig in front of Ranma's face. "Look at his arm stupid!"

He checked all of the pig's limbs, before he looked back up at the girl. "He seems fine to me."

Akane gently set Ryou down onto the floor, went over to stand in the doorway, and began to call the animal over. "Come here, baby," she cooed gently. "Come to mommy!"

Ryou had noticed Ryuku when he was brought into the room. He looked over at Ryuku, then over at Akane, before he slowly started to hobble over.

When Ryou toppled over with a loud squeal, Akane cried out and quickly scooped him up in her arms. "The poor thing!" As she petted the piglet on the back, she shot Ranma a dirty look. "Why don't you just admit it? You hurt him!"

"No, I didn't!" Ranma said. "When would I have time to hurt the little pork chop? He's too busy getting lost, remember?"

Akane stroked the pig's head. "How many times do I have to tell you this, Ranma? P-chan is _not_ Ryoga!"

Ranma crossed his arms across his chest and shifted away from Akane.

"Where's Dr. Tofu?" Akane asked. "Maybe we can get him to take care of your boo-boo, P-chan."

Ranma snorted. "Jeez, how stupid can you get Akane? Dr. Tofu doesn't know nothin' on how that stupid pig works," he lifted one of his arms up to point a finger at Ryou. "That thing needs an animal doctor! A vegetarian!"

Akane let out a snort of her own. "And you call me stupid?" she huffed. "I think you mean: veterinarian."

Ranma scowled. "That's what I said, stupid!"

As Akane cooed reassuring words to her pet, her eyes found Ryuku, who had silently sat and bared witness to the scene before her. "And who's she, Ranma?" she asked. "Don't tell me she's another one of your fiancées."

After that one statement a chain reaction of events occurred in a matter of seconds.

Dr. Tofu returned holding a kettle; he was quick to notice Akane, who had ran up to him. "Did anyone need a—oh! Hello Akane!"

Akane gave the doctor a smile. "Dr. Tofu, I was wondering if you could—"

A soft gentle voice cut off Akane's question. "Hello, is anyone here? Dr. Tofu?"

In an instant, the lenses of Dr. Tofu's glasses fogged up. "K-Kasumi?" he tossed the kettle up into the air and bolted for the skeleton placed next to a cabinet filled with medical supplies.

Ryuku wasn't the only one who eyed the kettle that soared up into the air. It nearly collided with the ceiling, until it began its descent downwards. Ranma could tell that where the kettle was heading for. If it landed, it'd be the end for Ryoga; he leapt up and kicked the kettle aside. Ryuku cursed under her breath, as the kettle met its demise when it crashed into the wall. It looked like she'd have to settle with being a girl for a little longer.

She glanced over to see Dr. Tofu clumsily fumbling around the room with a skeleton placed upon his back. Ryuku couldn't recall a time she'd seen the doctor do this. He was usually so calm and not so reckless. A young woman entered the room, Ryuku immediately recognized her as his Aunt Kasumi. Although, she hadn't changed much, Ryuku could still tell she had gained her youth back.

Kasumi's eyes followed after Dr. Tofu, a small smile tugging on her lips. "Dr. Tofu sure has an odd sense of humor, doesn't he?" she asked to no one in particular.

Suddenly, a girl stepped into the room as well. She watched as Dr. Tofu flail around the room. The girl's lips curled into a slight frown, as she went over to slip next to Kasumi's side and tug at the side of her skirt.

Kasumi gazed down at the girl in surprise. "Oh my," she smiled. "I thought I told you to wait until I came back to the dojo?"

"Kasumi," Akane gasped. "Who's that little girl?"

Ranma crossed his arms behind his head. "Gee, Akane why don'tcha think about it? Dr. Tofu must've said something to you know who sometime, and they must've—_ouch!_" Ranma blinked away the pain from Akane suddenly yanking off the bandage from his cheek. "What'd you do that for?"

Akane glared at him. "Don't say anything stupid, Ranma!"

Kasumi settled her arms on the girl's shoulders. "She just showed up at the dojo," she explained. "I thought she must've been one of Ranma's friends, since everyone who shows up tends to know you."

Ranma stared at her. "… Don't know her."

A thoughtful sound came from Kasumi, before she asked. "Perhaps she's another fiancée?"

Ranma's jaw dropped. "Are you kiddin' me? You don't think that pops would really," he stopped, his lips twisting into a nasty scowl. "Or _would_ he?"

Ryou leapt out of Akane's arms to land into the girl's.

"P-chan, what are you doing?" Akane asked. The concern on her face abruptly left when she saw how taken the girl was to the piglet. "… Well, I suppose I could let you hold him for awhile," under her breath, she added. "So, long as you don't run off with him."

"Misaki!"

The girl looked over to where she heard her name. Immediately, her face lit up and she ran over to Ryuku. Misaki dropped Ryou on Ryuku's lap, in order to bring Ryuku into a tight hug. She sighed happily, having known this whole time that she'd eventually find her cousin.

"Does she belong to you?" Kasumi asked.

Ryuku brought an arm around Misaki. "We're cousins," she answered after a short pause. "We kind of got separated looking for…" her eyes went over to Akane and Ranma. "My parents."

"Oh, that's no good!" Kasumi said. "Where are your parents now?"

"I'm not sure," Ryuku said. "But I have a feeling they're close by."

"Why don't you come over to our dojo?" Kasumi suggested. "You can stay there, until your parents find you. Plus, you both look like you haven't had anything to eat in awhile. I'd be more than happy to have some company for dinner."

Akane smiled; leave it to her older sister to be the perfect hostess to even complete strangers. "Me and Ranma can take you back to my house," she elbowed Ranma in the side. "Right?"

Ranma grunted. "Sure."

* * *

"I'll be right back, child."

"Take your time."

Lotion's eyes trailed after her great-great grandmother as she hopped down into the corridor near the kitchen. The Amazon averted her attention back to the teacup in placed in front of her. For the last several hours, the two of them had carried on various conversations. Everything that concerned the restaurant was passed onto a very reluctant Mousse.

But despite his reluctance, Mousse did as he was told anyway. Lotion noticed that Cologne wouldn't talk much; she'd simply nod her head to show that she was listening, while taking short sips from her cup. Lotion couldn't help but feel like a blabbermouth. She wasn't much of a talker, unless she was told to be, she preferred to be a listener. But her great-great grandmother dismissed the thought from Lotion's mind.

"Talk as much as you like," Cologne had assured her. "Don't worry; I'm listening to every word."

Lotion eagerly waited for Cologne's return. To pass the time, she watched Mousse scrub away at a table. She almost got up to offer some help but remained in her seat. If she interfered, what if he assaulted her again? Lotion scowled. There was no need to think like that. No matter what he did he was still somehow her father.

Lotion began to get up from her seat, but halted when she heard a familiar voice chirp: "Great grandmother, Shampoo back from making deliveries!" a chill ran down Lotion's spine. Of course, her mother would appear. This paradise could have only lasted for so long.

What had stepped inside the restaurant was the consequence that she had been ignoring.

"Shampoo, at last you've returned!" Mousse cried happily, dropping everything to dash over to Shampoo.

A frown marred Shampoo's features. "Get away from Shampoo!" she announced, backhanding Mousse's face.

The smack sent Mousse spiraling backwards; he collided with several tables and chairs sending, until he finally crashed into the table he had been cleaning. The bucket of water flew into the air for a brief moment, before landing on top of Mousse's head. A quack alerted Lotion, who had watched the scene before her silently.

Shampoo's frown deepened as she locked gazes with Lotion. Her eyes narrowed at her. "You is Amazon, yes?"

Lotion stood guarded.

"You come for Shampoo?"

Normally, she would've given her an answer right away. But she kept her mouth closed, her eyes following Shampoo as she strode forward. Shampoo's jaw clenched firmly, she stood before Lotion seizing her entire body with a cold stare.

"Shampoo working on getting husband," she informed Lotion. "Ranma belong to Shampoo. You leave now. Tell others this. Shampoo is capable."

Lotion wasn't quite sure what compelled her to do it. Or she was completely was aware of what her body was doing, but chose to ignore it rather than stop her actions. Shampoo stepped back, her hand holding onto the cheek Lotion had slapped.

A dark chuckle left her lips. "Oh?" she giggled. "You want play with Shampoo?" her lips curled into a smirk.

Lotion didn't even see Shampoo's next move, she merely suffered from the after effects of the hit. She crashed into a table along with several chairs, which were sent flying into a wall. Shampoo advanced towards her at an even pace. It was as if she was giving her an opportunity to run. In this twisted scenario: Shampoo was the mother cat, teaching her kitten, Lotion, the proper way to be a feline.

Lotion heaved herself onto her feet. "I'll play."

* * *

It was rather impressive how swiftly his mother handled all the customers. If he had bothered to keep track of time, he would've assumed that Ukyo had finished no later than twenty five minutes. Takumi slipped onto a stool in front of Ukyo, making sure to distance himself properly from both Ryoga and Ukyo. He was seated between two other customers. Both were oblivious of his presence, too absorbed with stuffing their faces with their meal.

Adjacent from Takumi was Ryoga, who had made sure to sit directly in front of Ukyo. Ryoga idly watched as Ukyo flipped an okonomiyaki in the air. He still wore a dejected expression on his face, while his lips were secured in a sad frown. A sigh left Ryoga's lips, his finger absently tracing small circles over the countertop.

"Listen, Ryoga, I'm sorry about yelling at you earlier," Ukyo placed a red plate in front of Ryoga. The okonomiyaki she had flipped abruptly landed on top of it. "You look hungry."

Ryoga picked up the provided utensils near the plate and began to dig in. He finished within a short amount of time. Clearly, the lost boy must not have been able to fill his stomach within the last few days.

"Jeez," Ukyo commented offhandedly. She dropped another one on his plate. "Don't you bring food along with you on your… trips?"

"I ran out," was Ryoga's simple answer.

"Boy, am I getting tired out," she huffed, winding one of her arms in a circular motion to loosen the kinks. "This is the third day; I've been swamped with customers. Not that I'm complaining, since the business is good. But it's really stressful sometimes, working this place all by myself. It wouldn't hurt to have some help around here."

Ryoga set his fork down. "Well, I'd offer to help but…"

Ukyo interrupted with a snort. "As much as I'd appreciate it, I just don't think I can depend on a guy that'd get lost on the way to give someone their meal, you know?"

Ryoga's shoulders sagged. "… You're right."

"Anyway, what brings you here?" Ukyo asked. "I'd expect you to be trying to find the Tendos or something."

"… Akane is part of the reason I came here."

"And what exactly is that reason?"

Ryoga stared at the okonomiyaki sizzling on the top. "A few days ago, Ranma almost admitted his feelings for Akane," he missed Ukyo stiffen. "Of course, Ranma being Ranma, he couldn't flat out tell her."

"I see."

"I'm almost thankful for Akane's meddlesome family," Ryoga laughed bitterly. "If they hadn't showed up… I would've been crushed."

In one swift motion, Ukyo flipped several okonomiyakis at once. "Can you believe they almost tied the knot?" she murmured. "I couldn't believe it myself even when I had the invitation right in front of me."

"Ukyo," Ryoga grunted. "We need to do something."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And what exactly are you planning on doing?"

Ryoga slammed one of his fists down on the table. Fortunately, he had been wise to not use too much strength; otherwise he would've broken the counter. "I don't know! That's why I need your help!"

"You showed up expecting _me_ to do all the work?" Ukyo shrieked. "How much of a jackass can you be?"

"I'm just happy that I found this place!"

Takumi had been eavesdropping on the conversation ever since it picked up. He shifted away to rethink the discussion. Both of his parents were interested in different people. Apparently, the two were chasing after Ryuku's parents. He certainly hadn't expected to find that out. The middle schooler didn't exactly know too much about his parents' teenage years. It wasn't that he hadn't bothered to ask, but more that he wasn't interested.

"By the way," Ukyo began. "You owe me for the food."

A protesting outcry came from Ryoga. "I thought it was on the house!"

"What kind of business would I be running here, if all I did was give out free food?"

* * *

Ryuku was beginning to come to the conclusion that this was _not_ a dream, after all. Although, there was the slightest chance that this could be reality. If this was a dream, Ryuku doubted she'd be able to share a joint dream with both her cousin and Ryou. The chance of that happening was highly unlikely. However, the conclusion Ryuku was starting to warm up to still had its flaws. If this was, in fact, real; what could have caused the dramatic changes with everyone else?

_They_ were the same. But everyone _else _was different. The biggest issue for Ryuku was the two people up ahead: her parents. The two seemed to be stuck in their own little world, despite being engaged in a rather heated argument. Ryuku and Misaki had been lagging behind them, yet Ryuku's parents remained oblivious of that fact. Ryuku had no intention of interrupting them. She was perfectly content with staying in the background, contently accepting the role as a silent observer. Ever since they had left Dr. Tofu's clinic, Ryuku hadn't kept her eyes off of her parents—or more specifically her father, if he was even really the man himself. Next to Ryuku, Misaki watched Ryou shift uneasily in her arms, every now and then. Being too absorbed with observing her parents, Ryuku was blissfully unaware of her friend's discomfort.

"Ryuku," Misaki said. "Where are we?"

Her cousin replied with a simple response, not bothering for a second to tear her eyes away from the two in front of her. "We're in Nerima."

"How can we be? Everything's so… _weird_," Misaki murmured softly. "I don't like it. I want to go back to my home. Where everything is how it's supposed to be."

Ryuku shifted her gaze over to Misaki. "I promise we'll get back home," she said. "Once I figure some things out."

A sigh left Misaki's lips. "We should get you two some hot water."

Suddenly something dashed past the two cousins and the piglet, creating a brief breeze that ruffled up their clothes and tousled about their hair. Ryuku's hand wrapped around Misaki's elbow, silently urging her to stop, and watched as whatever had past them headed straight for Ranma.

"Saotome, you vile sorcerer! Today, you shall meet your utter demise by the hands of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"

Ryuku opened her mouth to warn the pigtailed boy; however, when her father's body suddenly vanished, she bit her tongue with worry. The man wielding a wooden bokken stood next to his mother, who gave the other an unimpressed frown. Ryuku gasped in surprise, seeing that Ranma had not vanished at all. The pigtailed boy had simply jumped up to avoid the strike from the bokken. Ranma had his hands cupped around the tip of the wooden sword to keep him upright.

Ranma planted his feet onto the wielder's face. "Kuno!" he cheerfully greeted. "Long time no see!"

The wielder, Kuno, loudly exclaimed. "How dare you, Saotome! How dare you use my face as a doormat! I will make you pay for such an incredulous act!"

Ryuku silently watched as the scene played out before her. On her father's part, it seemed like he was humoring his opponent. While this made the pigtailed boy ignorant, since it was clear that Kuno was not someone to mess with, Ryuku couldn't help but feel envious of how effortlessly Ranma moved.

Ryuku couldn't help but think: "Could I have been that good if you hadn't left?" she lightly squeezed Misaki's elbow, quickly earning herself Misaki's attention. "Let's go, Misaki."

"Where are we going?"

"To the public baths."

Misaki looked over to the fight they were walking away from. "Is that a good idea?"

"I'm itching to change back into a guy," Ryuku said, completely dismissing Misaki's question. "It shouldn't be hard to find our way there. It is my house after all, remember?"

* * *

Distressed squeals filled the men's side of the bathhouse. Ryuku swapped Ryou to her other hand to another bite. So far, Ryou had managed to sneak in at least four more bites. As Ryuku struggled to keep Ryou from escaping, she carefully inched closer towards the water. Frustrated, Ryuku slammed her friend onto the tiled flooring. The impact from the slam wasn't enough to seriously injure the piglet, but just enough to cease his flailing for a few seconds. Ryuku hooked her fingers underneath his bandana, causing Ryou to snap his teeth at her.

Ryuku rolled her eyes. "Could you calm down already?"

But Ryou resisted anyway, attempting to lunge forward to bury his teeth into Ryuku's wrist. For a split second, Ryou's eyes left her face. His eyes widened and his body fell limp. Ryuku was pleased with the change, but her friend's change didn't last very long. Several seconds later Ryou began to thrash around once more. Finally having enough, Ryuku dropped the piglet into the water. She peered over the edge, seeing air bubbles surface to the top of the water and promptly pop. Apparently, Ryou wasn't planning on getting out of the water anytime soon.

"Ryou, would you quit being so difficult?"

A few seconds later, Ryou's head resurfaced. "I could say the same thing to you."

"'bout time," Ryuku said. "I thought I'd have to go get you myself."

A horrified expression washed over Ryou's face, his hands grabbed onto Ryuku's shoulders. "_No!_" Ryou immediately removed his hands. He sank down into the water. "By the way," his eyes darted off to the side. "How long are you going to, uh…?"

"Are you planning on finishing your sentence anytime soon?"

Ryou slapped his hand over his eyes. "Would you look at yourself for one second you idiot?"

Ryuku lowered her gaze downwards. A bright red colored her face, before she dove into the water. With a loud splash, Ryuku jumped up, his hands rapidly patting down his chest in precaution. Once he had managed to calm down, Ryuku shot a glare at Ryou, who had chosen during Ryuku's panic to move to the other side of the baths.

"You could have said something earlier!" Ryuku's cheeks were still stained with a flush. He whipped his head side to side, heaving a relieved sigh to see that no one had witnessed anything. "Is that why you didn't want to change back? You wanted to ogle me first?"

"Hey!" Ryou glowered. "Don't even think about turning this around on me! I'm not the one that hit on his best friend!"

All the color from Ryuku's face drained. "H-hit on?" he said. "When did I ever—" his mouth snapped shut.

While his grandpa seemed to have completely forgotten everything that his separation had done during the mirror episode, Ryuku, on the other hand, remembered _everything_. Right when the separations had returned to their proper place in the mirror, Ryuku's mind was flooded with memories that were not his own.

Ryuku swallowed uneasily, he could still hear his girl half loudly proclaiming her love for his best friend. _"I don't care if you get lost all the time, or turn into a cute little piglet! I'll like you just the same!"_

Ryou pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now, I'm willing to _still_ be your best friend, Ryuku," he said. "Just make sure to leave me out of your… new lifestyle."

"You think I'm gay?" Ryuku blurted out dumbly.

"I wish it was that simple!" Ryou cried. "You came onto me when you were a girl. What the hell does that make you?"

"Oh, god, that's the last thing I should've asked," Ryuku groaned. "Ryou, that. Look, that wasn't me, okay?"

"Do you honestly think I'm going to believe that?"

"It's the truth! It wasn't! I, well, I don't even know how to explain it. But it wasn't me," he sighed. "I'm not like that."

"You can explain yourself at a better time then," Ryou told the redhead. "What we really should be doing is focusing on what's going on now."

"… Which is what exactly?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious?"

"You're going to have to just flat out tell me, Ryou."

"Think about it, Ryuku," the lost boy said. "Everyone we've met so far: your parents, Misaki's parents. We're back in time."

"Well, that totally throws my dream theory out the window."

"You honestly thought that this was a—" Ryou shook his head. "Not what we should be worried about," he muttered to himself. "There must be something we can do to get back to our own time."

As Ryou suggested several ideas, Ryuku waded over to the edge of the bath. He crossed his arms in front of him on the tile, rested his chin on his lower arms, and stared over the emptiness of the room. "Would it really be so bad to stay for awhile?"

"How can you even ask that?" Ryou questioned irritably. "Just by being here, we're ruining what's already happened in the past. We could've altered something without even knowing it. Messing with time isn't something I'm particularly fond of doing Ryuku."

"It can't be _that_ bad."

"And how do you know that?"

"Ryou, you said it yourself. Those were my parents!" Ryuku laughed, in disbelief. "I saw both my mom and dad, and they were _my_ age! My mom even held you in her arms! This is unbelievable!"

"We have to think practically about this, Ryuku," Ryou said. "Yes, this is an amazing opportunity, but it's also a dangerous one as well. While you're thinking of how fun this is, all _I'm _thinking about is the repercussions that could come from all this."

Ryuku glanced over his shoulder. "Can you stop thinking for one second?" he asked. "I haven't seen my dad in nine years. If you had this sort of chance wouldn't you… just go with the flow?"

Ryou stared at his friend's back in concern; despite not being able to see Ryuku's face, he knew he was hurting. The subject neither of them brought up was: Ryuku's father. It was a forbidden subject right when his father walked out the front door and never came back.

"Ryuku," he softly murmured. "I thought you hated him."

"… I can't even remember the last time I saw him," a short snicker came from the redhead. "Did you see my mom? Even though she was arguing with him, I could tell she was happy."

"I saw her," Ryou said. "But just what exactly are you hoping to accomplish by staying here?"

"Who says I want to accomplish anything? All I want is to," Ryuku gritted his teeth. "To see my damn dad, before I have to go back to an empty home!"

"You're being selfish."

"Imagine being in my shoes, Ryou," the redhead said. "Wouldn't you do the same?"

"No."

"Of course, _you_ wouldn't," Ryuku growled. "Why would you have to? You still have your dad. Who cares if he's lost half the time, at least he comes back."

"… Takumi."

Ryuku blinked at the sudden mention of Ryou's younger brother. "Okay. You lost me."

"Oh my god, Takumi," Ryou exclaimed. "I was with my brother!"

"Yeah, alright," Ryuku muttered. "In case you weren't listening, I was talking about dads not siblings."

"That's not why I brought him up," he said. "If both you and Misaki were brought back in time… Takumi must've been too!"

"Relax, Ryou. I'm sure the brat can handle himself."

"How can you be so sure?" Ryou asked. "I'd feel much better once I've found him."

"Ryou, you know that the chance of you finding him is—"

The lost boy cut in with a sharp: "I know."

Ryuku's eyes glanced up at the ceiling. "Now that I think about it Lotion was with me," he commented offhandedly. "Do you think she's somewhere around here too?"

Ryou refrained from touching a hair on his friend's head. He still wasn't quite up to touching his friend again. His hand twitched. "Lotion was with you and it hadn't occurred to you to find her?"

"I was kind of busy chasing after a pig," Ryuku spat. "It's kind of hard to think about others when _someone_ won't stop to breathe in some common sense."

"Maybe I wouldn't have reacted that way if _someone_ hadn't confessed their true feelings towards their best friend!"

"That. Wasn't. Me!"

"She sure looked a lot like you!"

After Ryou's infuriated exclamation an intense silence abruptly filled the room. Ryuku raked his fingers through his damp hair, with his lips pulled into a nasty scowl and a glare targeted at something off to the side. The lost boy began to calmly breathe in and out, dropping his head back to stare up at the lamplights attached to the ceiling. He let himself relax in the warm water, letting the water relax both his mind and body.

Ryou was the first one to break the silence. "Were you planning on accepting your mother's offer? Are you really going to go to the dojo?"

The redhead moved his arms closer towards his body, tilting his head to nestle his cheek against his arm. "It's my home isn't it?" Ryuku countered back coolly. "Why shouldn't I go?"

"I think we should find Takumi and Lotion," Ryou replied. "Then with that out of the way, we can find a way to get us back to the _proper_ time."

"How about _you_ do that?"

"But I need you!" he fumbled slightly with his words, his ears now hearing how wrong that must've sounded. Ryou quickly added. "You know what I mean! Do you honestly think with my lousy sense of direction I'll be able to find _anyone?_"

"Ryou—"

But Ryou refused to hear out his friend. "Maybe if I had my GPS with me I'd have a slight chance, but as you can see I don't even have a single map on me!"

"I'm sorry," Ryuku said after a brief pause. "I know I'm being selfish right now, but… I'm going home. Besides, don't you think it'd be better this way? I'd rather die than have Misaki anywhere near your brother."

"_Fine,_" Ryou bit out. "We can have it your way, Ryuku! If that'll make you so damn happy, then please, do whatever the hell you want! I don't know why you even bothered to change back into a guy. Your parents saw you in your _girl_ form. Unless, you're willing to alter our time, even more by explaining how you got yourself a Jusenkyo curse?"

"Why couldn't they understand?" Ryuku asked. "I could always make up a story."

"What kind of story?" Ryou snapped. "In case you forgot, Jusenkyo is nothing but a giant puddle! You can't just say you went to China and happened to fall into the same cursed spring as your dad."

"Who said it had to be an amazing story?"

"You might as well just flat out tell them: 'Hey, guess what mom and dad? I'm your son from the future and I got this curse from you, dad!'"

Ryuku moved away from the edge of the baths to wade over towards the other boy. "I don't get why you're being such a prick," he told his friend. "I've always been supportive with everything you did. When I found out you had a crush on Lotion, of all people, I didn't tell you to give up on her. When you called me at three in the morning, telling me you fell into a well, I didn't hang up on you to go back to sleep! I dragged my ass out of bed and looked everywhere for you! It took me _two _hours to find that stupid well, but I did it!"

"How is that the same?" Ryou asked. "If your choice wasn't going to harm our time, maybe I'd be supportive. But this isn't anything like what you've done for me! You're asking me to let you fuck up our timeline, Ryuku!"

"You know, everyone at school thinks you're a complete idiot," Ryuku growled. "But I go out of my way to shift the attention away from you. Every single time you're brought up in a conversation. It's not like my reputation is perfect, but at least you get a little less shit talked about you each day. Do you know why I do all those things for you, Ryou? Because you're my best friend!"

"And as your best friend," Ryou paused, closing the rest of the distance between Ryuku and him to return he glare that was being thrown at him. "I think you'd better listen to me, because you're decision won't do us any good."

"Oh, I'm so glad you still think of me as your best friend," Ryuku said darkly. "I was too scared that you'd avoid me, since you'd rather assume things then let me explain myself. I didn't make a move on you for one thing."

* * *

Upon hearing the sounds of footsteps scraping against the concrete, Misaki glanced up to see her cousin and Ryou walking to her waiting spot, which was across the street from the public baths. Misaki eased herself off of the wall, patiently waiting for the two to reach her. As they approached her, she could feel an unsettling tension coming from the two friends. The two refused to look at each other, instead focusing their gazes solely on Misaki.

Misaki wondered what could've caused this change between them, but kept the inquiry to herself. Knowing them, they'd eventually figure things out on their own, without her meddling in the way. She smiled up at her cousin, both of her hands reaching forward to enclose around Ryuku's hand.

"Why are you still a girl, Ryuku?" Misaki asked curiously. She tipped back to balance on the heels of her shoes. "I thought you went to the bath to be a boy again."

With her free hand, Ryuku plopped her hand down on top of her cousin's head. "Don't worry about it, Misaki."

Misaki slowly nodded her head. She tugged slightly on Ryuku's hand, leaning back to look over at Ryou. "At least you're not a pig anymore, right Yo-yo?"

A small fond smile went on Ryou's lips. "Right."

"Well," Ryuku said. "We better get going."

Misaki allowed herself to be pulled along next to her cousin. She glanced over her shoulder noticing Ryou hadn't left his spot. "Isn't Yo-yo coming with us?"

"Ryou's decided he'd rather do something else," Ryuku mumbled. "He's off doing, boring stuff. You wouldn't be interested in that, Misaki, trust me."

Misaki's eyes locked on Ryou, until they turned the corner. "… I guess so."


	17. Filler 3: Time of the Season: P2

**************Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Filler:** Time of the Season: Part 2

Everything looked the same.

Every house, every street corner, every streetlight, _everything_ — it all looked the same. The young lost boy had only left Ryuku and Misaki a few moments ago, yet he already found himself at a loss to where he was. Hopefully, he was still somewhere in the Nerima district. It wasn't very smart to be wandering around without anyone or anything to guide him. Subconsciously, Ryou reached for his travel backpack only to have his hands grasp onto thin air.

All of his gear was back at home, in the rightful time period. His parents were most likely worrying themselves over their missing sons. If it hadn't been for Ryuku's selfishness, he would've been home a long time ago. At this very moment, instead of finding himself in the middle of nowhere, he could've been devouring one of his mother's delicious home-cooked meals. It had been weeks since the last time he had enjoyed his mother's dinners. He had to suffer numerous trays of tasteless hospital meals, three times a day. Although, he swallowed every questionable spoonful with a forced smile to the attractive nurse, who set the food before him with the sweetest smile, nothing could beat his mother's food. His mouth watered from the image of a plate staked with steaming okonomiyaki fresh from the stove, made especially for him.

Ryou's shoulders slumped from dejection as he continued to trudge was clear that Ryou was right given the situation. However, there still lingered the nagging thought that _he _was the one being unfair.

His best friend had a terrible habit of keeping certain things to himself. Those certain things always seemed to relate back to his father in some way. Ryuku was more vulnerable then he cared to admit. His pride and hardhead often prevented Ryuku from admitting that to himself. But even if Ryuku was the one suffering, nothing justified letting Ryuku's problems ruin an already written timeline. If Ryuku was dealing with this emotional trauma by himself, he should've known by now that Ryou would try his best to help him through it.

Of course, the two of them had more than their share of arguments. Knowing each other for eleven years gave them plenty of chances for verbal battles. The fights between them rarely reached the point where fists were involved. Physical violence was often avoided, mostly due to Ryou's lack of interest towards martial arts. But there were several moments where a punch was thrown and someone, or both of them, were left with a nasty bruise.

Their worst argument left them _not_ on speaking terms for nearly a month and three weeks. Ryou had gotten lost two days after the argument had happened. He hadn't meant to let their disagreement drag on for so long, but it was difficult to find his way back to Nerima with a broken GPS. In the end, the two chose to simply forgive and forget and moved on. Ryou couldn't even remember what they had argued about, which clearly meant that it hadn't been very important.

However, their current argument left the lost boy greatly perturbed. He had never seen Ryuku that passionate towards anything. Nothing seemed to capture the redhead's attention long enough for him to actually pursue anything. The countless conversations about what their futures possibly held for them lacked at grabbing Ryuku's interest. Yet a sudden talk regarding his father, while everyone was in the past no less, made the redhead stand firmly by his decision. Ryou knew he couldn't change his friend's mind. Ryuku was too damn stubborn to listen to reasoning, which was why Ryou was never really fond of their occasional tutoring sessions.

It didn't help that Ryuku had gotten pissed off. If they ever did get back home, Ryou doubted they'd be able to mend things, and shrug the argument off as if it were nothing. It was a shame. Having been recently discharged from the hospital was something Ryou wanted to celebrate with his best friend. But there certainly wasn't going to be any celebrating anytime soon, especially after an argument like that.

Just then, someone skirted through the empty further down the street. Ryou stopped. Was he imaging things?

He had managed to catch sight of the person's short black hair, the striped dark blue long sleeved shirt, and faded black jeans. He recognized the sounds of the hasty stomping by worn-out sneakers. Ryou bet if the person had slowed down their stride ever-so-slightly, he would've seen the black choker securely placed around their neck.

That description could only match one person.

"Takumi!"

**X**

The noises from outside seemed like an epic battle was occurring. But the doors remained firmly closed, effectively shutting the ongoing fight away from the household. Ryuku itched to slam the doors open. The only memories she had of her father were limited. Memories of how fast and smoothly he fought were faded and old. The one thing preventing her from seeing him fight were those screen doors. All she had to do was slide them wide open and watch the scene outside play out.

At the end of the table was her grandfather, who was currently engrossing himself with the newspaper, with a pipe nestled between his lips. Although, Soun's changes weren't as drastic as everyone else's, his wrinkles were less noticeable and there was more black than grey in his long mane of hair. He let out an amazed sound every now and then, before he puffed at his pipe, and then turned to the next page. In front of Misaki was Aunt Nabiki, who still somehow managed to look professional in a loose fitting orange blouse and white shorts. When she had entered the room, she sent a glance to both her and Misaki, as she settled down at the table. Her lips were formed into a thin line, yet she remained silent and occupied herself by filing her nails.

A variety of delicious aromas drifted away from the kitchen wafting away to the main room. Ryuku's stomach growled in anticipation. When she tried to think back to the last time she had a decent meal her mind drew a complete blank. Now that she thought about it, did she ever look forward to eating? Ryuku lost count of all the instant ramen she shoveled down, or how she suffered through another one of her mother's attempted meals. Disrupting her thoughts, for some strange reason, was an image of Ayano suddenly popping in her head. With a bemused frown, Ryuku quickly dismissed the image, declaring the occurrence as irrelevant.

Her grandfather's sudden intrusion swayed her away from her thoughts. "What brings you two young ladies here?"

Ryuku glanced down at Misaki's hand on her lap. She shouldn't be focusing only on herself. Misaki needed to be taken care of too. "We're waiting for my parents."

Soun nodded. He closed the newspaper down onto the table, and exhaled smoke from his nostrils. "I see," he murmured softly. "They must be worried sick about you two. Do you have any idea when they'll be back?"

"I'm sure they'll show up soon." Ryuku answered. "Once they finish up whatever needs to get done."

Nabiki hummed. "Are you a friend of Akane's?" her eyes remained on her nails, while she paid particular attention to her thumb nail. "… Or is it Ranma you're after?"

Ryuku was taken aback from her aunt's accusations. Was Aunt Nabiki always this precautious of things? Perhaps she had her reasons for acting this way. Ryuku had no idea what she was like. She wasn't even aware that she had another aunt, until she was hospitalized after her little rendezvous with a certain brat. When she was actually awake to formally meet her aunt, she was pumped up with enough drugs, which was difficult to remember what had happened during the encounter. There were faint memories of being in a hotel room with her aunt, but aside from that little detail Ryuku couldn't recall much else. She didn't know what sorts of things her aunt liked or hated. The only thing that Ryuku could figure out was that Aunt Nabiki was a wealthy business woman, and that she was apparently very good at doing her job.

Nabiki raised her eyebrow at Ryuku, most likely waiting for an answer to her inquiry, but chose not to press on the matter.

"Dinner's ready!" Kasumi announced warmly. It wasn't surprising that despite being several years younger Aunt Kasumi still carried the role of a mother for everyone. She entered the room holding a large tray full of food. Carefully, Kasumi set the tray onto the spotless wooden floor, knelt down onto her knees, and began to set the table. Once everything was placed in their rightful spot, with the added additions of Ryuku and Misaki, Kasumi went over to the slide door. She slid the door aside to call out to the two martial artists outside, both of whom were still engaged in an intense sparring session. "Ranma, Mr. Saotome! Dinner's ready!"

In an abrupt yet impressive blur of colors, the pigtailed martial artist quickly claimed the empty seat next to Ryuku, while Genma plopped down on the other side of the table. Without missing a beat, the two prepared their attack onto the feast before them. Each one took their respective bowl in hand, chopsticks expertly poised to snatch anything they deemed delicious.

Nabiki brought a piece of steaming beef to her mouth; she gently blew onto the cooked meat, before slipping it inside her mouth. She remained oblivious to the chaos around her, as she ate her meal in peace. "If you're hungry," she said. "I suggest you get what you can, while there's still food left."

Ryuku stared the young man next to her shoveled another bowl of rice down. Ranma handed the bowl to Kasumi, who was more than happily to refill it. Once it was given back to him, Ranma didn't bother to waste any second to dig back in. Genma was a monster. Ryuku was aware of how much her grandfather could eat in one sitting. It was one of the many reasons why she was glad that he no longer lived in the dojo. With the amount of troubles they already had with the dojo itself, a bottomless pit that changed into a panda wouldn't do them any good.

Around a mouthful of food, Ranma happily said. "The food tastes great as always, Kasumi!"

A peculiar aroma suddenly crept inside the room, literally murdering the once pleasant smells that once occupied the vicinity. A wave of nausea attacked Ryuku, as her stomach clenched in pain. The little appetite she had not too long ago had vanished, once the smell had violated her nostrils. Immediately, Ryuku felt uneasy. In fact, the whole room's atmosphere changed into a much tenser one.

"I helped, too!" Akane announced proudly. She sauntered inside, beaming with pride, holding her own tray.

The scene greatly mirrored Kasumi's. However it appeared that inside of a welcoming presence, Akane had brought in something inhospitable.

Ryuku swallowed uneasily, as Akane — once again mirroring her eldest sister — began to set the table with her own entrees. "Actually," Ryuku managed to murmur weakly. "I don't think I'm very hungry anymore."

Next to Ryuku, Ranma eyed Akane's diverse choice of dishes warily. Everything had an abnormal coloring. A proper word couldn't possibly exist to describe the colors. The pigtailed martial artist couldn't even come up with a name for the abomination placed before them. No way. There was _no way_; he was going to put any of that weird food into his mouth. Even his iron stomach wouldn't be able to handle it. "I don't blame you."

Akane slammed her hands onto the table. The swift slam caused the dishes and glasses to wobble somewhat. "Ranma!" she growled, her tone sharp. "You're ruining our guests' appetite."

"_You're_ the one ruining our guests' appetite!" Ranma countered snappily.

Akane shoved a plate in Ranma's direction. "I worked hard on this!"

Wearing an unreadable mask, Ranma set his bowl down, placed his chopsticks neatly on top of it, and then dramatically crossed his arms over his chest. He puffed his cheeks out, looking like a young child. "Ain't gonna happen, Akane, I ain't eating nothing."

"You didn't even try it yet!"

"No matter how much you try to convince me," Ranma said. "I ain't gonna eat that… _poison_."

Akane's fury began to fizzle slightly from the word. "P-Poison?" she repeated.

"Maybe poison isn't the right word. The black petunia uses that gunk," Ranma's lips pursed after he paused. "In fact, I think her gunk probably tastes a lot better than whatever this is."

Akane hung her head down, shielding the emotions on her face with her thick blue hair. Her shoulders began to quiver violently, as if she was breaking down into tears. But Ryuku knew better than that. _Everyone_ did. Akane's hands curled into tight fists, her grip was so tight that her knuckles were turning white. The last time Ryuku had seen her mother get this riled up was the day when — Ryuku glanced over at her father, who seemed to be guarded for whatever was about to happen – her anger hadn't lasted very long that day, because she had spent the majority of it in tears. Ryuku gritted her teeth together from the bitterness suddenly invading her mind. Now was not the time to be thinking about that.

Akane's head whipped up. Her hair was wild, appearing like a lion's mane; it was as if the short tresses were feeding off of her anger. A cold glare was targeted solely on Ranma. "Ranma, you —"

"… May I be excused?" All eyes turned towards Ryuku, who had interjected during Akane's exclamation. Ryuku stared down at the table, doing her best not to make eye-contact with her mother's concoctions. It was unsettling to have so many pairs of eyes gawking at her. "I'm not very hungry."

Kasumi was the first one to speak. "Are you feeling alright, Ryoko?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "Maybe you should lie down?"

Ryuku shook her head, a small unsure smile on her lips. "I'm fine. I think all I need is some fresh air." As she left the table, Ryuku felt Misaki tug at the hem of her shirt, but gently uncurled her cousin's fingers. Behind her, she could hear her parents' shouts echo off of the dojo's wooden walls.

"Good going jerk!" Akane barked. "You scared her away!"

There was a scoff. "_I _scared her away?" Ranma retorted back. "I didn't have to do anything! It was your food that did that!"

It was like she was a little kid again, hearing her mommy and daddy shouting, while they thought their son was fast asleep.

Although, the first step outside welcomed Ryuku with a cold breeze, she suppressed a shiver and settled down onto the wooden flooring. Ryuku's eyes stared up at the darkening sky above. It was a lovely and calming sight to gaze at after what had happened during the last several hours. A soft sigh left her lips, as she leaned back slightly to allow herself to settle into a comfortable sitting position. She had expected that this impromptu visit wasn't going to be perfect. Parents were prone to "healthy_" _arguments. Different personalities clashing together often caused those sorts of things to happen. Opposites attract.

Every brief story she told Ryuku every night always left Akane with the biggest smile on her lips. All the problems she faced, with her husband — Ryuku's father, was worth all the pain and sadness she, they, experienced, because she was happy in the end. It was worth it. But how could she be happy? For the entire time Ryuku had been around the two they had spend the majority of it throwing names and insults at each other. Where were the smiles, the hugs, and the supposed affection her mother always told her about? She had expected some shouting, but to this extent? It was ridiculous.

How were her parents ever happy?

Ryuku didn't bother to turn her attention away from the sky when she heard feet shuffling. "Did you finish eating, Misaki?"

Her cousin stayed silent. Instead of answering, she took a seat next to Ryuku. Misaki brought her legs up to her chest to wrap her arms around them, and then propped her chin onto her kneecaps. She stared up at Ryuku, lips formed into a thoughtful pout. "I'm not very hungry either."

Chuckling, Ryuku faced Misaki. "Why don't you go back inside?" she asked gently. "I don't want you to catch a cold."

Misaki's pout deepened into a frown. "… You're not even wearing a jacket."

Ryuku looked over her clothing. Just then, she realized she had been wearing rather masculine attire that had suited her normal form much better than her current form. She curled her fingers onto the sleeve of her long sleeved shirt, which were now several sizes too big. It must've looked like a dress on her. Her jeans nearly covered her feet; she wiggled her toes, barely seeing the tips. Ryuku wished she had a belt. She was surprised her pants had managed to stay on her slim hips for so long without falling. Yet as stupid as she probably looked, no one bothered to comment on her choice of clothing. Maybe the reason for that was because of her father.

"You know," Ryuku began. "Kids like you should always listen to your elders."

With childlike innocence, Misaki asked. "But what if my elders are wrong? Should I still listen?"

Ryuku rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance, and ruffled up Misaki's hair. "Go on inside," she said. "I'll be in soon. I promise."

Misaki began to stand, but stopped to then ask. "Are you alright?"

"Nothing's wrong," Ryuku winced from how fast her lie left her mouth. "Did you think something was bothering me?"

"… Did Yo-Yo do something to make you mad?"

Ryuku sighed. "No."

Misaki tilted her head to the side. "Is that true?"

"He didn't do anything," Ryuku murmured. "I just… I need some time to think. Okay?"

"Okay," Misaki mumbled. She hopped onto her feet. "Then use my jacket," after unzipping her jacket, she slipped it off and handed it to her cousin. "I don't want you to catch a cold." Ryuku stared at the offered article of clothing. "You should listen to kids. They make their elders happy."

Ryuku laughed. "Well, aren't you a smarty-pants?" she accepted the jacket with a small smile. "Thank you."

Even though Misaki's jacket was the shade of pink Ryuku absolutely loathed, there was glitter everywhere, and was a tad too small even for her—Ryuku put it on anyway, and savored the warmth against the cool wind.

**X**

The once clear blue sky was slowly darkening; stars were beginning to peek out from beneath the fluffy shapes of clouds, while the shining sun handed its glowing baton to the moon.

She had lost track of how long the fight dragged on. Countless punches were thrown; powerful kicks were added along with the unknown number as well. How many of those hits collided with their target? She stopped counting after fifty-nine, when another punch left another painful bruise on her body, when her umpteenth swing of kick missed the other. Her entire body ached. She wasn't sure how she ended up on the concrete, struggling to even sit up to properly face her smug opponent. Lotion gritted her teeth together; the familiar proud laughter was starting to put a strain on her nerves.

Nothing about her situation was even remotely humorous. Yet there was her opponent standing in front of her, shiny purple slippers blocking the majority of Lotion's line of vision. There was a default image playing before her eyes: her hands placed on her hips, catlike grin set firmly on her lips, while she still laughed and laughed and _laughed_.

"Silly girl," Shampoo cackled. "You much too young to beat Shampoo, try again in hundred years," She stared down at Lotion's fallen body. Her lips curled into a smug smirk. "You give up now, yes?"

The bitter metallic taste of blood settled on Lotion's tongue. "I'll never give up! Not now or in a hundred years!"

"Why is you so stubborn? Shampoo do nothing to you. Go back to village. Is better for girls like you. Learn to be better Amazon."

Lotion's hand shot out, wrapping around one of Shampoo's ankles. Without wasting another second, she yanked Shampoo off of her feet, and then sprung off the ground to pin her securely in place. "_You _are the one that needs to learn," she hissed. "Amazon or not, that doesn't allow you to abuse anyone you feel deserves it."

The startled expression on Shampoo's face lasted for barely fifteen seconds, before she recovered from the shock. She gazed up at Lotion in wonderment, before her soft features twisted into a nasty glare and matching scowl. "What you talking about? Shampoo abuse no one! Shampoo only dealing with annoying Amazon girl!"

Shampoo effortlessly slipped out of Lotion's hold to jab her forearm onto Lotion's neck. The action was successful as it knocked the other Amazon away from her. "Shampoo tired of dealing with Amazons who no think Shampoo capable of getting airen. Shampoo working hard, always work hard!"

Lotion coughed from the sharp jab, gingerly pressing her palm on her neck. "D-Don't you ever think of anyone else besides your precious airen?" she asked snidely. "When will you realize it? It's so obvious! He'll never love you!"

Shampoo's eyes widened. "W-what you say to Shampoo?"

"You heard every word I said!" Lotion snarled crossly. "You're wasting your time chasing after the impossible. Just pack up your things and go home! It's what you should've done in the first place."

Her eyes narrowed onto Lotion, she began to circle around the young Amazon, actively mimicking a starving predator circling their prey. "How dare you," Shampoo murmured lowly in Chinese. "You don't know anything, stupid girl!"

Lotion was unfazed by the movement done around her. "I don't have to know anything," she scoffed. "The answer is in front of me. A desperate Amazon refuses to accept that she's been chasing after nothing. He's not going to wake up and… and realize the woman he's been in love with was you. That's ridiculous," she wiped away the sweat from her forehead, before she harshly added. "It's stupid."

Shampoo stopped. She backed away from the girl, choosing at that moment to tidy up the front of the Cat Café. There was some stray rubble from their fight caused by striking the concrete, fences, or anything else that got in the way of their blows. Shampoo chucked a rock into the air, she watched as it sailed up higher and higher. "Are you ever going to shut that mouth of yours?"

"Why should I?" Lotion spat. "It's the truth, isn't it? Someone has to say _something_. If everyone stays quiet, I know you'll just end up being… bitter."

Her parents left Nerima behind them when they returned to their home in China. Everything was so much simpler at home. Her rightful home, which wasn't a miserable apartment located conveniently near their equally miserable restaurant. China was so much better, not only for her but for her mother and father as well. Nerima should've been kept closed away, forgotten about completely. It was a chapter in her parent's life that didn't need to be revisited. It should have never been involved in their daughter's life. Yet for unknown reasons, they packed up all their belongings and simply left the village without sparing a glance back. After spending a majority of her robbed life in this hell, Lotion knew they wouldn't be leaving for China anytime soon. Not when there was so much unfinished business left to do.

"Alright," Shampoo finally answered, temporarily distracting Lotion from her thoughts. "I made a mistake. I know what to do now."

Lotion gaped at the Amazon in disbelief. Had she heard her right? "You do?"

Shampoo nodded. "Yes, I do."

The girl didn't bother to suppress her emotions. Giddiness was written clearly over Lotion's expression. "That's great!" Somehow, she had managed to force her way through her mother's hardhead, and made her _wake up_. Things would turn out better this way. The sooner everyone returned to China the better.

In a flash, Shampoo suddenly appeared before Lotion, an eerie smile worn on her lips. "The first thing I should've done was rip those lips off," Upon hearing those words, Lotion reacted a second too late. Shampoo's fist connected with Lotion's mouth.

Lotion screeched out in pain, her hands flew to her mouth to cradle her wounded jaw. Blood pooled onto her palms. She choked slightly, struggling to keep herself from swallowing the crimson liquid as it flowed into her mouth. Her eyes brimmed with tears, as it was the only she could do to handle the searing pain.

Shampoo remained unaffected by her actions. She vehemently yanked Lotion's hands away from her face, as she continued to speak. "Pull your teeth out," her eyes narrowed, unreadable emotions flickered in her brown eyes. Lotion screamed when Shampoo's hand ruthlessly clamped onto her cheeks. "And slice your tongue off."

Lotion's heart rattled against her ribcage. She was terrified.

The scowl on Shampoo's lips began to form a small smile. "That should take care of your chatter mouth."

**X**

"Takumi!"

No matter how many times Ryou shouted after his younger brother, Takumi kept walking forward at a brisk pace, feigning ignorance to his calls.

Ryou expected this sort of behavior from Takumi. Growing up with Takumi had always been difficult. Yet despite the various past problems each Hibiki member endured, all of those problems provided a leeway for Ryou to be able to understand why Takumi acted the way he did. The two brothers had a slightly better relationship in their youth. Ryou wasn't sure when it began to turn sour, but things between Takumi hadn't always been so difficult. There was the time when a young Ryou and Takumi were playing outside. The two brothers had been tossing a ball back and forth. Somehow, the ball ended up tangled in a tree's branches. Ryou volunteered to retrieve the ball. As Ryou climbed up the long tree trunk, he felt a pinch start low at his ankle. Suddenly, the pinch became a painful burn, which started to shoot up and down his leg. Due to the unexplainable pain, Ryou lost his grip on the trunk and landed on the grass. He grabbed hold of his leg, only to regret his action a second later.

Takumi hadn't always been in control of his strength. For some reason, their father's strength seemed to show up in Takumi at a young age, which made their father proud. The cause of the pain had been due to Takumi holding onto his ankle, thinking that his brother was going to fall and hurt himself. When Ryou was rushed to the hospital, it had turned out that Takumi had shattered one of his bones. Ryou had to get the leg casted, and had to walk use crutches for a little over a month. Fortunately, the broken leg let Ryou spend time at his house. Now that Ryou thought about it that was probably the longest time he spent at home without getting lost, since he was confined to his bed. Of course, Takumi had been guilty over the whole thing. Ryou was quick to forgive his brother, because it wasn't like Takumi had done it on purpose.

It was one of the many perks of being an older brother: being able to comprehend the other. Ryou doubted his brother wanted to relate to him, not many people did aside from his parents and Ryuku, due to gaining the label as the "Village Idiot". Having a horrible sense of direction certainly had a large impact on his education, but Ryou never let that factor stop him from expanding his knowledge. It was a tough struggle to hand in assignments on time, or even make it on the day of an important exam. Every assignment, test, quiz — any sort of work he missed was always made-up and turned in.

Teachers often refused to accept his work, but that didn't stop him from trying. He remembered missing school for half a month. During the time he was gone, the lost boy had missed a majority of the lectures, homework assignments, and quizzes. Ryou managed to catch up to his class fairly quickly, by reading textbook after textbook, while he attempted his way back to Nerima. Multitasking was probably the last thing Ryou should've done, since the only thing it accomplished — aside from brushing him up on the subject matter — was found himself in the middle of nowhere, which in turn caused him to be even more late with his return back to school. When he finally stumbled upon the school campus, Ryou fortunately found his homeroom teacher with little problem, and handed him a large pile of paperwork. Speechless by the amount of work, the teacher accepted his work, willing to give him half credit.

But even with the amount of work, Ryou's grades suffered greatly from missed exams that weren't able to be retaken. The tests Ryou were able to take were always handed back to him with a perfect score, but the score would be tampered with thanks to countless absences, missing work, and for initially missing the exam the first time. After those points were taken away from the score, Ryou often found himself with a C grade.

Whenever Ryou could find Furinkan, he was often greeted with mean looks from his peers, who would whisper insults behind his back. Ryou wasn't exactly sure when he was awarded the title _The Furinkan Idiot_, but when it started the word had spread around campus quickly. Fortunately, the harassment hadn't lasted very long, the reason for that being mainly thanks to Ryuku, whose reputation was fair worse than Ryou's.

Ryou called out to his brother. "Takumi, would you please—"

Surprisingly, Takumi came to a halt. He turned his head slightly to glare over his shoulder. "Do you have to be so noisy?"

"I can't believe I actually found you!" Ryou cheered without acknowledging Takumi's question. "I found you all my own! Without a GPS! I didn't need help from anyone! This must be a—" once again, Ryou was cut off.

"Can you shut up?"

Takumi's attitude did little to tamper with Ryou's enthusiastic demeanor. "Were you looking for me, too?"

"No way," Takumi snorted. "To be honest, you haven't even crossed my mind."

Ryou's grin drooped.

"You look stupid." Takumi pointed out helpfully.

"Then if you weren't looking for me," Ryou sighed. "Who were you chasing after?"

"I was following them."

"… Following who?"

Takumi faced the opposite direction. "Great. I lost them," his nose wrinkled from his statement. "Wait. That doesn't sound right. _You _were the one who made me lose them."

Ryou stared at his brother, puzzled. "Who did you lose?"

"Who do you think?" Takumi threw his hands up in the air, thereby ending the conversation, and resumed walking. As Ryou followed after his brother, he could hear him muttering to himself. "They probably didn't get too far ahead of me. I doubt that'd ever happen."

It turned out Takumi was correct with his musings, since it wasn't long before the two brothers found whoever Takumi was tailing after. Ryou stared long and hard at the familiar couple several feet ahead of them. Even though Ryou could only see the back of

A look of realization went on Ryou's face. "Are those our —"

"— Our mother and father? Yes," Takumi swiftly finished. "The shock wore off a long time ago."

"Wow. They both look so," Ryou shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be distracted. But he couldn't help but wonder if this was what Ryuku felt when he first saw his parents. "Why were you following them? Don't tell me you're…"

"They're going to the moron's house."

"So what," Ryou cried. "Doesn't _anyone _care that we're ruining the future?"

Takumi rolled his eyes at his brother's outburst. "Who cares?"

"How can you say that?"

"Who even knows if we _are_ ruining anything," Takumi answered matter-of-factly. He spared a brief glance over at his brother, who stared at him with the saddest and dumbest expression he'd ever seen, before he looked straight ahead. "I don't know what you've been doing, but I'm perfectly aware of my past actions. All I'm doing is following our parents. It's harmless."

Ryou was unconvinced.

"If we fucked up someone's birth wouldn't they have disappeared by now?"

Ryou raked his hand through his hair, frustrated by his brother's insensitivity regarding their current situation. Messing with time shouldn't be taking lightly. No one should be able to somehow travel back in time, and do whatever they please. Not when there would always be consequences attached to every little thing they did. "You know what I mean, Takumi."

Suddenly, Takumi stepped in front of his brother, who immediately stopped walking. "I don't like your tone," Takumi tilted his head back to properly stare into the taller male's eyes. "Are you implying something, _big brother_?"

Ryou winced from the added emphasis deliberately placed on Takumi's last two words. His little brother knew how much he'd often beg for him to acknowledge his role as the older sibling. How it made his day whenever Takumi would call him 'big brother'. Although, the times Takumi did use the title was to be mocking. Ryou took two steps back to put a reasonable distance between the two of them. "… Of course I'm not."

Takumi's eyes narrowed. "I think you are," he said. "You honestly believe I'm plotting something, don't you?"

"I do not!"

"Please! It's written all over your face!" Takumi growled. He shoved his brother back a few more steps. "What did you think I was going to do?"

"I know you wouldn't do anything."

"Are you worried about your best friend? I saw him at that shitty festival," he said. "Do you think I'm going to erase Ryuku's existence? As nice as that would be, I'm not that much of an asshole." Of course, he admitted that the thought did cross his mind, but then Misaki would plague his thoughts. The unbearable feeling of guilt would eat up at his conscious, until Takumi forced himself to drift off to other thoughts. He couldn't have Misaki hate him even more. Getting rid of Ryuku would be worthless, if Misaki's hatred for him only deepened.

"You'd never do something like that."

"I'm sure you did think that," Takumi scoffed. "Even if I did want to, which I don't, I doubt it would happen. Our parents aren't even interested in each other at all. I'm surprised _we_ were even born. If I did try anything, not only would Ryuku not be born, but we'd be long gone, too. I like being here, thank you very much."

"What are you talking about?" Ryou asked. "How does this involve our parents?"

"Why do you think they want to go to the moron's place?" Takumi countered. "To have a friendly conversation? We both know our father and Ryuku's father were rivals."

"Of course, I know that," Ryou said. "Sometimes, when I'm trying to find my way back home, I'd run into dad, and he'd tell me all sorts of stories about the fights he had with Ryuku's dad. They did a lot of weird stuff. Maybe when we get back home, I can ask dad to—"

"Shut up," Takumi cut in sharply. "I'd never waste my precious time listening to a bitter has-been talk about the 'good old days'. If I wanted to do that I'd be like _you_."

"Takumi…"

He turned away from Ryou and began to walk. "You can keep spewing crap out of your mouth," he said. "But I won't be listening to a word you're saying."

**X**

One of the many things to cherish in life was one's family. When Ryuku was a young boy, he used be one of the first few kids sprinting outside to meet their parents outside when it was the end of school. All the other boys and girls would run up to hug their mother or father, excitedly telling their respective parent what had happened after finishing yet another exhilarating day of school. Ryuku remembered when he jumped into his father's arms, laughing and relishing at how amazing his father was. His mother would be standing next to the two boys in her life, her face lit from happiness and a certain pride only a mother possessed. She'd pinch his cheeks, cooing how cute her little boy was, and how "mommy and daddy loved their little boy so, so much".

But then came the day when Ryuku's father decided it was time to leave and never come back. After that day, everything went on schedule, and when afterschool finally came around, Ryuku found that no one had come to pick him up. Ryuku walked home alone that day, and the day after that. Mother was too busy with work to come pick up her son, so the responsibility went to grandpa. Walking with grandpa wasn't horrible, Grandpa Genma, was one of his favorite family members. Grandpa Soun wasn't bad either, but his magic tricks weren't as impressive as Uncle Tofu, he always wanted to play shogi, and he couldn't turn into a big fuzzy panda like his other grandpa. But the fondness for his grandpa greatly dropped when he was taken out of class one day. His grandpa had promised a trip to the zoo, which to a little Ryuku sounded so much better than learning about addition and subtraction. However, the supposed trip to the zoo turned out to be nothing but a lie. It turned out to be some sort of scary training trip. After that day, grandpa wasn't allowed to spend time alone with Ryuku for a long time.

Genma's job was eventually handed to his babysitter, Megumi, who always told Ryuku she considered him as her little brother. At first, Ryuku returned the sentimental value of their relationship, but when those feelings grew into something more, Ryuku stopped thinking of her as an older sister. It wasn't very appropriate to think of a sibling like that. While Megumi was someone he'd always cherish, no one could ever replace the void of a missing parent. Megumi used to bring Ryuku to the park, where she'd push Ryuku on the swings, until sunset and it was time to head back to the dojo. At the park, Ryuku couldn't help but watch as the other children playing with their parents with envy. He'd never have a father in his life. All the males in his life would never be able to replace him and act as Ryuku's father figure, because there was no one else like Ranma Saotome.

Growing up was hard without a father figure in his life. Who was he supposed to talk to about his curse? His mother had no idea how approach the situation, since she couldn't possibly relate. Megumi thought it was adorable, and teased Ryuku how she'd not only gained a little brother but a little sister as well. Grandpa Genma was shunned from approaching Ryuku. It was impossible to find Uncle Ryoga or his best friend. There was no one else to turn too. He had to deal with this all by himself.

Ryuku sighed. "I need to stop thinking so damn much," she gazed up at the sky, which had darkened into a relaxing but chilling ebony color. There were countless stars scattered all over the dark canvas above the neighborhood.

"The stars look great tonight, don't they?"

Ryuku flinched from the intrusion of a gentle voice. It was the same voice that used to lull her to sleep with zany stories of her youth. After a stiff pause, Ryuku softly murmured. "Yeah, they do."

Akane took a seat at a reasonable distance away from the other girl. Her fingers were curled around the soft cotton of the blanket wrapped around her body. She scratched at the puffy white clouds that decorated the fabric. When she noticed Ryuku shiver against the cold night air, Akane slowly shifted closer towards her. Awkwardly, Akane offered some of the blanket to Ryuku, who politely declined the offer. Out of the corner of her eyes, Akane saw how badly Ryuku was shivering from the temperature. She wrapped the blanket around her, making sure to keep the right amount of distance between their bodies. There was an awkward silence that lingered around the two girls. When it was time to speak again, both of them spoke at the same time. They both laughed uneasily.

Ryuku cleared her throat; she dug her fingernails into a smiling cloud. "Go ahead."

"That's alright. You can go first."

"Its fine," Ryuku insisted. "I can wait."

Akane let out a loud sigh. "Alright," she mumbled. "… I," she stopped. "I realize that we got off to a bad start. I'm not like that normally. It's just with Ranma…" she trailed off in the middle of her sentence to allow herself to become immersed from the night sky. Another sigh left Akane's lips. "In case, you already didn't know we're fiancées."

Unsure of what to do, Ryuku simply nodded her head.

"I really hated being engaged to the jerk," Akane said, although her tone betrayed the harshness of her words. "I could go on and on about all the things we've been through ever since he first showed up at the dojo. When I found out he was staying with us, I prayed that everything turned out to be some sort of sick joke. But our engagement stuck, and I'm surprised neither of gave up yet."

Ryuku kept silent.

"A couple of months ago," she continued. "We had our wedding. Or at least we would have, if it weren't for everybody else ruining it!" she huffed, clearly irritated from the memory. She clenched at the blankets and gritted her teeth together, before she exhaled and her agitation fizzled away. "Jeez, what am I saying? I shouldn't be telling you all this," Akane rubbed her hand over her forehead, heaving yet another sigh. "It's just… so frustrating, you know?"

"What am I supposed to say? I had no idea this happened. Mom never told me any of this." Ryuku thought to herself with a frown.

Akane groaned. "Just. Just forget about this, okay? This is so unlike me!" she shook her head. "I only came out here to apologize to you, not bore you with my life story! I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone now."

As Akane made a move to leave, Ryuku finally managed to say _something_. "… You can talk to me if you want."

"That'd be inappropriate," Akane said, despite lowering herself back onto the wooden floor. "We've only just met and you wouldn't be able to understand."

They both looked up at the sky.

This time it was Ryuku who let out a sigh. "Sometimes," she began. "It's nice to say things out in the open. You have fewer things bottled up that way, less to worry about."

"… My mom used to tell me that."

"… Mine, too." In her head, Ryuku mentally added. "I just never listened to her advice."

Another awkward silence began to settle around them, however it wasn't long before someone broke it.

"You don't have to say anything. I wouldn't trust a stranger either."

Akane turned towards Ryuku. "I don't know about strangers," she said. "It feels like… we've met before."

"We have," Ryuku replied. "You were holding that piglet and thought I was going to steal it."

"P-chan? I didn't even realize that was you. I'm sorry," Akane said. "I have to protective of my poor little P-chan. People have tried taking him away from me before."

"It's fine."

"But that's not what I meant," she murmured. "I get this weird feeling around you. I don't know how to explain it."

"… Just don't worry about it."

**X**

Bullshit.

There was no way anyone could convince him they had married each other willingly. First off, both of them were interested in different people. They were attempting to create the perfect plan to break-up their love interests in order for them to gain their happy ending with their desired partner. He had lost count of how many times the supposed loving couple broke into yet another yelling match. What seemed to trigger the arguments the most was whenever his father's lousy sense of direction kicked in. Fortunately, his mother was able to prevent any directional mishaps from happening. It just didn't make any sense. If they were so interested with different people, how the hell did they end up together? Takumi kicked at a pebble on the road, he glanced up from the ground to look up at his brother. If anyone knew the answer to his question, it had to be his older brother, who was clearly their parents favored son.

Since Takumi refused to walk next to his brother, Ryou had been walking at quite a distance away from him. Takumi made sure to watch out for Ryou by shouting out insulting every time the lost boy turned the wrong way or suggested something stupid. Takumi bent down to scoop an empty soda can off the ground. He chucked the can at Ryou as hard as he could. His brother could handle the impact. The only good thing he had inherited from his father, aside from Takumi, was his monstrous strength. The can bounced off of Ryou's head with a loud clanging noise, sounding like a pan was struck.

Ryou touched where the soda can collided with the back of his head. "Takumi, what did you do —"

"Shut up," Takumi snapped. "I just want to hear you answer a simple question. Got it, _big brother_?"

Ryou sighed. "Alright. What is it?"

"You know how," he paused. "They got together, don't you?"

"… Our parents?"

"Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?" Takumi asked snidely. "Who else would I be talking about, dumbass?"

Ryou looked on to where their parents were. "Well, I've always just assumed they met, fell in love, and lived happily ever after," he grimaced when he heard a spatula scrape onto the concrete. It was never a good idea to get their mother angry. "Apparently… I was wrong."

"Don't feed me that bullshit," Takumi spat. "Don't you know everything there is to know about them?"

"Not everything. They never told me how they got together… in detail," Ryou said. "They always kept it brief: 'we fell in love, got hitched, had you and your brother, and that's how it all happened. The end'"

Takumi scowled. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Is the real story too smart for an idiot like me? Can't you just dumb it down to my level?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Ryou shouted. "That's all I know, I swear!"

"Why are you lying to me? _How_ can you not know? They tell you everything! They always do!"

"No they don't!" Ryou yelled over Takumi. "How would they be able to do that? We barely see each other!"

A hollow laugh came from Takumi. "Fuck you," he jabbed his finger onto Ryou's chest. "You don't have to cover for them. They aren't here. _Our _parents aren't here."

"There's nothing to say."

"Quit trying to make me shut up! I know what you all talk about," he growled. "While you and _mommy_ and _daddy_ are having the fucking times of your lives outside of Nerima," he stopped, his shoulders shaking from how much rage was bubbling up inside him. "I bet you never once thought about…"

Ryou's eyes softened. "Takumi, I —"

"No. Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore," Takumi said. "We all learned to live with it."

"You can't just change the subject. Not when you're saying these things all of a sudden," Ryou sighed. "You can talk to me, alright? It's my job as an older brother to help out his little brother."

"Oh, right, you're my big brother! You know, it's funny, younger siblings are supposed to look up to the older ones. But I don't think there was ever a time I wanted to be like you," his eyes briefly skimmed over Ryou in disgust. "Who would want to be? You're pathetic."

"… You're upset," Ryou said softly, although he couldn't hide that Takumi's words had affected him quite a bit. "I can understand that. But I'm here now, I'm willing to listen to whatever's bothering you, and I'll do my best to help you through it."

"You never cared. Stop pretending that you do. No one cared! Why should it be any different now?" he shoved past Ryou. "Don't even bother to chip in your two cents, because I don't want to hear stupid excuses. It's all fucking bullshit."

Ryou grabbed onto Takumi's sleeve when he pushed past him. "Takumi, I want to help!"

"Let go of me, idiot! I don't need your help! Are you deaf now? Let go! I'll fucking break your other —" Takumi's eyes widened. He shrugged Ryou's hand off of him, as he stared down at his hands. "… Wait."

"What's wrong?"

Takumi ignored Ryou's question. He darted forward several steps, before he leaned down to jab his finger into the concrete.

"Takumi, what are you doing?"

A laugh came from his younger brother, who began to create craters all over the streets. "This is all so stupid!"

"You know that you shouldn't be using that technique! Stop it! Your hands are —"

"My hands are what?" Takumi interjected. "Completely fine?"

"What are you talking about now?"

"Look, dummy," he showed both of his hands to his brother. "Why the hell didn't I notice this before?" he glanced up at Ryou, and then let out a snort. "How weren't _you_ able to notice?"

Ryou stared at Takumi, waiting for his confusion to be cleared.

"I can use The Breaking Point whenever I want," he smirked. "It was like my hands were never hurt!"

Ryou remained silent.

"Your arm isn't broken anymore."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Ryou said. "When I came here, I remember that my arm was broken. I was nearly falling over which each step I took when I was a piglet. My arm can't just magically heal itself like that."

"Nothing about this makes sense," Takumi told him. "… This is something else. Don't you feel it?"

"We aren't back in time?"

Takumi struck the ground again. "Look at the scenery. It's actually shaking, like it's about to fall apart or something."

"… It actually is," Ryou gaped. "What the hell is happening? This couldn't be a dream could it?"

"If I had to guess," he said. "I'd say this whole thing is… some sort of imaginary Nerima. An imaginary Nerima that apparently makes us believe we're back in time."

"… An illusion," Ryou answered. "But that doesn't make any sense."

"It makes sense to me," Takumi snorted. "How else could this happen? If we were back in time, wouldn't my injuries travel with me?"

"But why bother with this scenery, this scenario? Making our parents — no _everyone _— around us appear younger, giving us…"

"Do you have to be so thorough? We just magically appeared here. You and I both know we were at a shitty festival."

"I completely forgot about that; Ryuku —"

"Right, the moron," Takumi grunted. "Where is he anyway? I guess this place must be a heaven for him. He can creep on all the little kids he wants, he better savor it while it lasts."

"He's back at the dojo to spend time with his… family," he explained. "We're here with Lotion and… Misaki."

Takumi lips fell to a frown from the mention of his crush's name. "_Five _people? They did an illusion with five people?"

"Wouldn't that take a lot of energy? Not to mention enough focus to maintain the illusion?"

"That means it won't be long before they run out of juice! They'll have to kick us out of here!"

Ryou nodded. "That's right, which means that —"

"I can teach those assholes a lesson not to fuck around with me!"

"If this is an illusion then we should —"

"See how long those fuckers can hold it!" Takumi cheered, before he began to destroy the streets.

"Takumi, don't you think we should keep following our — those illusions of our parents?"

"What's the point? This whole thing has been fake!" Takumi said. "Who knows how accurate those illusions of our parents are? For all we know, everything we've seen so far could be complete bullshit!"

"We can't just forget about everyone else."

"Nothing bad is happening to them."

"But—"

"Forget it, Ryou. I'm going to bust up this whole place. Then those idiots won't be able to keep us here for long!"

"… What about Misaki?"

Takumi's delight slipped from his face. "She hates me. If she sees me, she'll…" he growled. "Forget it, Ryou. If you want to go to that damned place, go find it yourself. If you can."

"I need your help."

"You need a lot of things."

With a rueful sigh, Ryou reluctantly separated from his brother, who continued to create carnage to the discovered illusion.

**X**

His movements were precise, smooth like fluid. Anyone could tell he was a natural martial artist, born and raised as the perfect heir for _Anything Goes School of Martial Arts_. To a random observer, it was clear that he was practicing with little effort on his part. Everything came easily to the young man. It was only natural that a son looked up to their father, basing him as their sole inspiration, their role model. There was a time when Ryuku wanted to be just like his father. Of course, the whole thing had been a phase, or at least a short lived one. Ryuku used to crawl out of bed early, before the crack of dawn to watch him in the dojo.

Ryuku stood in the doorway, watching in amazement as Ranma continued his daily practice routine.

After landing a jump kick, Ranma blew his hair away from his eyes. He wiped the sweat that matted his bangs onto his forehead with the back of his hand. "Are you gonna keep starin' at me all day?"

Of course, he had noticed Ryuku. He probably knew she had been standing there the whole time.

"I…" She had no idea what to say.

This sort of thing would happen to her. Here she was, wherever the hell she was, with her father right in front of her — and she was speechless. She could ask him anything. There couldn't be a guaranteed answer, but he was _there_ in the flesh. What were the odds of this ever happening again? Ryuku didn't even want to think of the technical stuff. The point was that he was there. Her father was actually in the dojo, showing Ryuku all the things she could've learned, could've _been_.

So many things would have turned out differently if only he had been there. For a brief moment, her mind drifted back to the fight with Takumi. How she had lost horribly. How she had spent several long days in the hospital, having everyone fuss over her. Having her best friend, Ryou, severely break his arm and legs. She grimaced from the last words she had said to him. Ryuku ditched him to have this moment right in front of her. Ryou was lost somewhere, because of her selfishness. Ryuku's jaw clenched. There was a good reason for everything. Sometimes selfishness had to be involved. Ryou would've understood if he had been in her place. Or not. She would deal with the repercussions at a better time, but at the moment other matters needed to be attended to.

Ranma sighed, as he scratched at his scalp. "Look, if this was about that whole fiancée stuff I mentioned earlier…" he trailed off somewhat, his eyes glancing up to the ceiling.

"Can I ask you a question?"

The pigtailed boy's face fell. "Depends," he murmured. "What's the question?"

Ryuku leaned against the doorframe. "You're going to marry mo — _Akane_, aren't you? One day?"

Immediately, the color from Ranma's face drained. He let out an uneasy chuckle. "D-Did someone put you up to this?" he paled even more, before he added. "Was it Nabiki?"

"What does Aunt Nabiki have to do with this?" Ryuku thought, but she kept her lips sealed.

Ranma accepted her silence as an affirmative. "Well, you can tell her I'm doin' my best to pay her back!"

Ryuku pressed on. "Aren't you?"

"Aren't I what?"

"You're going to marry Akane."

"I — _what?_" he started to fidget nervously. "What kind of — just who the heck are you?" he shouted. He paced around the dojo with his fingers yanking at his hair. "You can't just ask me this sort of stuff! I don't even know who you are!"

"Does it matter who I am?"

"Y-You're just some girl," Ranma hissed. "This is Pop's fault ain't it? He made a lousy promise to your old man, right? Somethin' about an engagement?"

Ryuku gritted her teeth together. "Didn't you almost marry her before?"

Ranma sputtered out something else entirely.

She didn't bother to decode the words. "Fine!" she shrieked. "It doesn't matter!"

"If it don't matter, why did you mention it in the first place?" Ranma asked with annoyance. "To get somethin' out of me? 'Cause if you are, you ain't gettin' anything outta me! You got that?"

"I don't care!" Ryuku shouted at the top of her lungs. Why was he overreacting over a stupid little wonderment? She shook her head, forcing herself to calm down.

Ranma blinked at her. "Jeez," he muttered. "You almost give the tomboy a run for her money."

"… Just answer this," when she noted the flicker of panic on Ranma's eyes, she quickly muttered. "It doesn't relate to anything before."

"Then what is it?"

"If you… never find a cure, would you…" Suddenly, there was a lump in her throat. "Would you leave?"

Everything. Everyone. Your wife.

Your cursed six year old son.

**X**

A bloodcurdling scream ripped from Lotion's throat, her cheek was pressed onto the cracked concrete, smearing her blood and tears onto the pavement. Above her, Shampoo had her pinned down with her knee against the lower part of her back. The other Amazon had a stubborn hold of her hair. With each hard yank, Lotion let out a shrill shriek, praying that her hair wouldn't be yanked from her bloody scalp. Due to being on her stomach, it was difficult to reach around to swipe an attack on Shampoo. Another scream slipped from Lotion's mouth, this time in frustration than anything else, she hadn't expected things to turn out like this. It was supposed to be a simple tactic. Lotion would get a rise out of her in order for her to lose her focus, her practicality. If this was what her mother was truly like when she was angry, this meant Shampoo had always held back greatly on her daughter, which in turn managed to annoy and irritate Lotion even more.

Lotion's entire body ached, screaming for the stubborn Amazon to quit straining herself. "It's your fault! Everything's your fault!" Lotion's voice was raw from the countless screams and shouts. "I could've had a better life! I could have _lived_ my life!"

"Shampoo do nothing! You is the one ruining Shampoo's life! You apologize to Shampoo!"

"I don't need to do anything! Apologize for everything you've done to me!" She had to fight back. She had to do _something_. But her body was so exhausted, it protested every little movement. "I'm tired of living your failed life!"

"Shampoo no have to hear anymore of this! Shampoo finish this now! Unless," She released her hold on Lotion's hair, which caused Lotion to smack her face onto the concrete. Lotion cried out in both pain and aggravation. "You apologize to Shampoo."

None of this made any sense. How could she be losing so badly? Ever since she was born, she was raised by the strongest Amazons in the village. Her great-great grandmother was among those women. The first major victory she earned was when she was at least five years old. Even with all her experience, did any of it matter now? Her mother was _her_ age. Lotion had expected to be on par with her mother's level, or to at least have some sort of disadvantage. Could she have really been so powerful even then? Training with her mother had always been difficult. There was always that expectation she had to meet in order to gain her mother's approval. Every time she failed to meet that expectation, her mother would lecture her on how everyone was disappointed. How great-great grandmother expected better from an Amazon warrior.

The times when her father attempted to teach his daughter the ways of "Dark Magic" was constantly met in vain. Lotion had to convince her father for every lesson, which wasn't an easy feat to do, but somehow in the end it turned out for the best. Her mother managed to never catch on, until the day Lotion accidently slipped and made a broom appear from nowhere, while she was cleaning the restaurant. It was hard not to forget the lecture from her mother.

"Disappointment," her mother had hissed. "Why are you always disappointing me, Lotion?"

If it wasn't with training there was always something else. How could anyone raise a child to believe they were engaged to another? Not only was she angry at her mother for the lies, but she was mad at herself for believing every one of them. She could blame on it childhood innocence, but could she blame it on such a trivial thing for fifteen years? There was a time when she truly wanted to gain her mother's acceptance, to finally hear her say those three words. She wasn't sure when she finally gave up. Was it when her great-great grandmother died? After seeing her father be insulted night after night? When she met her supposed husband for the first time?

"What is there to apologize for?" Lotion spat coldly. "For finally hearing the truth?"

"Shampoo only hear lies!"

Without warning, Lotion was flung into the air like an old rag doll. She crashed onto the harsh pavement, feeling pebbles dig into her back. Lotion blinked up at the sky. The nightfall in China was gorgeous, mesmerizing. Back in the village, she would spend countless hours, until the sun began to peek up, simply gazing up at the night sky. Although it was a painful struggle, Lotion slowly reached her hand up to touch a cluster of stars. Now she must be imagining things. Why would a boy be peering down at her? Lotion let out a soft puzzled sound. There _was_ a boy next to her. What was he doing here? She squinted up at him. For some reason, he looked familiar to the Amazon.

There was no time to get distracted. Lotion hopped back onto her feet, but wobbled slightly before gaining a steady balance, and then darted forward to continue her battle. She initiated another attack, which Shampoo flawless avoided.

"What are you doing?"

Lotion could see the boy past Shampoo's shoulder. "Don't just stand there! Leave!"

The boy hooked his finger behind his collar, lightly tugging it aside. "There's no point in fighting."

"You don't understand!"

"Who said I wanted to?" he scoffed. "You're wasting your time."

"Get going! You'll get hurt!"

Takumi rolled his eyes. "You're just fighting an illusion."

"W-what are you talking about? An illusion?" Lotion stared at Shampoo.

How could this be an illusion? Everything felt so real. Could an illusion replicate the wounds on her body or the endless shocks of pain with every small movement she made?

"I don't care what you do," he said. "You can keep fighting. In fact, keep fighting. I'm surprised this illusion held during your whole fight. Maybe I underestimated them slightly." Takumi clucked his tongue, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well! Guess I might as well keep trying to do _something_."

He pierced the street with his index finger. It wasn't long before chunks of the streets were crumbled and falling down from the air as debris. Lotion gasped as she dodged the rubble.

"That's —" That was Ryou's brother? He was the one who put Ryuku in the hospital?

Shampoo suddenly cried out. "Great grandmother's technique!"

**X**

Ryuku furiously wiped at the tears in her eyes before they had a chance to roll down her cheeks. "What was I thinking?"

She had run off before her father had a chance to answer her question. It was doubtful that he was even going to respond. No words needed to be said. The expression on written all over his face was all the answer she needed. Ryuku rubbed at her eyelids until they were raw. She yanked at Misaki's jacket, tugging the flimsy material closer towards her body, as she fought against the chilling night air. The rooftop was where she had fled off to. She started climbing up there ever since she first heard her parents begin to yell late at night. It was quieter up on the roof. No one yelled up there. The only company there was the moon, the stars, and the night silence.

There was a time when she nearly snapped her neck. She had attempted to peek inside her parent's bedroom one night. Not only were the windows open, but the curtains were pulled aside too. It was the perfect opportunity to see what was going on. Especially since there neither Ryuku's mother nor father were shouting. Ryuku wasn't positive have she ended up falling off the side. Maybe it was her lousy footing. Or right when she looked over the edge of the rooftop she realized just how high up she was from the ground. Whatever it was, someone grabbed onto her ankle and then pulled her back on top of the rooftop. It was terrifying. If she hadn't been pulled at the last second, she would've been – Ryuku shook her head to rid herself of the thought. Her savior had been none other than her father. He didn't scold her for sneaking out of bed. All he did was pull Ryuku onto his lap and the two stared up at the sky, until Ryuku fell asleep and woke up safe and sound in her bed. It was almost like the whole thing had been a dream. Maybe it was.

"I should've listened to Ryou," Ryuku murmured in despair. "What was I thinking? Of course, he'd…" Ryuku buried her face onto her palms. "I'm such an asshole, a stupid selfish asshole. Ryou's always right. Why didn't I just listen to him?"

Suddenly, a voice below announced. "Okay, big guy, we're finally here!" Carefully, Ryuku crawled over to the edge of the roof to see two figures standing in front of the dojo. Even though the figures were primarily covered by the shadows from the trees, Ryuku could still recognize who the voice belonged to. "What's the plan?"

The next voice was one Ryuku could easily recognize as well. "I don't know!"

It had been awhile since she had last heard him, since he'd been lost for the last week or so. The thought of Ryou's parents popping up hadn't occurred to her at all. Lately the least likely visitors at the dojo were the Hibikis. The main reason for that being due to their horrible sense of direction, fortunately Ukyo would be the one to drag her husband back to Nerima.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'? Weren't you supposed to be thinking of something while we were walking!"

"Why do I have to think of something?"

"_I'm_ the one that does everything!"

"Quit exaggerating!"

"_Exaggerating?_ You think I'm exaggerating? Oh, Hibiki, I ought to tear you a new one!"

"Please, without me —"

"Don't even think of finishing that sentence. I'm only warning you once, jackass."

"Forget it! Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere!"

"Then what do you suggest we do genius?"

"Why don't we —"

Another voice cut in the pair's argument. "Uncute! No figure! Flat-chested!"

An infuriated shout was heard next. "Just get out!"

The pigtailed martial artist darted out of the dojo. Not far behind him was a kitchen table, Ranma ducked at just right the moment, successfully dodging the tossed aforementioned wooden object. Ryoga, on the other hand, was not as lucky as the former. The table crashed into the lost boy with full force.

Unfazed by the hit, Ryoga effortlessly punches the table into pieces. He glared at Ranma, immediately forming into a fighting stance. "Ranma!" he growled. "How dare you speak to Akane like that?"

Ranma's face lit up, a wide grin played across his lips. "Hey, Ryoga!" he greeted him cheerfully. He patted Ryoga's shoulder, before he sidestepped the punch coming towards him. "Long time no see, buddy! I see you finally found your way back!"

"Ranma, prepare to die!" Ryoga declared, as he prepared another attack for his rival. However, the large metal spatula suddenly thrust in front of him halted his attack. The startled look on Ryoga's face only lasted for several seconds. He sent a dirty glare at Ukyo, who was preoccupied with sending Ranma ogling eyes. "Get out of here!"

Ukyo returned Ryoga's glare with one of her own. Ryoga faltered slightly. He had to admit that being on the receiving end of her girl was somewhat intimidating. Quickly, the glare vanished and was replaced with a coy smile and a blush when she shifted her attention back onto Ranma. "Ranchan!"

"Ucchan," Ranma returned her smile. "How're you doin'? Did Porky drag you along with him to find the dojo?"

Ryoga fumed. "And just who are you calling —" the rest of his sentence was cut off by a disgruntled groan when Ukyo jabbed the handle of her spatula into Ryoga's stomach.

"He sure did," Ukyo sighed. "But it was worth the trouble, because I'm here now… with you."

Ranma nodded his head along with her, appearing oblivious of how flustered the okonomiyaki chef was. "Say, I'm kind of in the mood for some delicious okonomiyaki," he placed his hand over his stomach for added emphasis on how hungry he was. "Is it too late to…?"

Ukyo vigorously shook her head from side to side. "No way!" she cried. She let out an anxious giggle after her abrupt outburst. "I-I mean, it's never too late, Ranchan! I'd be more than happy to make you something! Why don't we head over to my restaurant?"

"Where are you going, Ranma?"

Upon hearing Akane's voice, Ranma didn't bother to turn and face his fiancée. "To Ucchan's," was his simple reply.

Akane stayed deeply rooted at her spot a few feet away from the dojo. "… Why?"

Ranma glared at a spot on the fence surrounding the dojo. "Why do you care, tomboy?"

A scowl went on Akane's lips. "I _don't_ care! Do whatever you want Ranma!"

"… _Fine_, I will!" Ranma shouted back. "At least I'll be able to actually enjoy this meal!"

"_Fine!_" Akane repeated shrilly. "Why don't you just go live over at Ukyo's then, if you love eating there so much!"

"Maybe I will! I won't have to worry about your toxic cooking ever givin' me nightmares!"

Ukyo touched Ranma's arm, gazing up at him in not only with disbelief but merriment. "Do you really mean that Ranchan? You'd really stay with me?"

A snort came from Akane. "You heard him, didn't you?" she spat. "Stay right there, Ranma, I'll go get your things!" Akane stomped inside the dojo.

When Akane slammed the front door closed, Ranma finally turned away from the entrance to the dojo. "No way!" he said. "You ain't touching my stuff!" and with that he chased after her.

If it were possible, Ukyo would've floated over to Ryoga from bliss. "Guess we didn't need to plan anything," she chirped. "The busted wedding must've been the last straw for Akane. Good thing I came with you, Hibiki! After waiting for so long, I finally get my Ranchan!"

Ryoga stared after where the two had run off to. "… Yeah."

"Jeez, what's with that reaction?" She playfully smacked Ryoga's arm. "Shouldn't you be crying from happiness? If I get Ranchan that means you get your precious Akane."

"Something isn't sitting right with me," he muttered softly. He scratched at his cheek with a thoughtful frown on his lips. "Maybe it's because Ranma almost admitted his feelings for Akane and now he's…" his eyes widened. "Alone," he said slowly, and then painfully added. "With Akane."

The pair turned their gazes towards each other, before they dashed inside the dojo.

"What just happened?" Ryuku asked herself. "I'm not going to find out by just staying here." She jumped off the roof, landed gracefully on the ground, and quickly headed inside the dojo after the other four.

**X**

It was almost as if there was a strange manmade raincloud that had formed above the Cat Café. Every sort of debris seemed to be falling from the sky. Of course, the cause of this bizarre rainstorm was all thanks to one Takumi Hibiki, who had taken the liberty to create havoc around the area. Nothing was off limits. After he had finished leaving astounding craters all over the streets, he had turned his attention elsewhere. Instead, he decided to aim for the fences, the streetlamps, and even houses. If anything could be affected by the attack, Takumi was sure to shatter it into a pile of rubble. Meanwhile in the middle of Takumi's utter mayhem, Lotion continued to drag on the fight between her and Shampoo, despite the damaged environment surrounding them.

A tire from the Cat Café's truck was sent flying in Lotion's direction. At the last second, Lotion dodged the tire, while she attempted to land a punch on Shampoo. When the hood of the truck was heading towards Lotion, an annoyed shout came from Lotion, before she grabbed hold of the hood. "What are you doing!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Takumi laughed. "I'm helping out!"

With a growl, Lotion stabbed the hood into the ground, using it as a makeshift barricade against the flying wreckage. "By ruining the streets? Do you know how much the repairs for this will cost?"

The middle schooler snorted. "Didn't we already establish that this isn't real?"

Lotion prepared to throw another retort, but decided it was best to keep quiet when she barely dodged her mother's next punch. "This is so annoying!" the young Amazon thought to herself.

Shampoo knocked down the hood, leaving a rather sizable dent from her punch, and then pummeled it onto the ground. "Don't ignore Shampoo!"

"She's, or well, _it's_ right. Shouldn't you be paying attention to your little fight?" his question was feigned with childlike innocence. "I'm surprised illusions could be fought against but… I guess we can't have the answers to everything."

"You stupid brat!"

Takumi shrugged. "I've been called worse."

Despite being filled with rage and annoyance, Lotion did her best to ignore Takumi. But doing so proved to be an uneasy feat, since the middle schooler appeared to be unfinished with using the Breaking Point. The two Amazons persisted along with their never-ending brawl. They managed to avoid every despicable obstacle Takumi appeared to deliberately toss in their general direction. When a sharp shard of concrete sliced Lotion's cheek, she didn't flinch or bat her eyelashes. Instead, she launched into the position, preparing chain of quick attacks, while Shampoo kept a steady defense up. However, a large rock landed on Lotion's back, temporarily disturbing her momentum. Once she regained her footing, it was already too late; Shampoo tackled her onto the ground.

Shampoo had her Lotion's wrists pinned above her head. Her free hand wrapped around Lotion's throat, using an iron grip. "Shampoo finish this now!"

Lotion frantically struggled to slip her hands free from Shampoo's hold.

"Quit struggling," Shampoo muttered darkly. "Shampoo finish this quickly."

"Why are you losing?" Takumi called out. "How are you losing to someone that's not even really there?"

Lotion gritted her teeth together. "Shut up!" she choked out, only to regret her choice once the garbled words were out into the dusty air.

Shampoo hardened her grip on Lotion's throat. She blew a kiss at Lotion, even boldly gave the pinned girl a cute wink. "Bye bye!"

"No!" Lotion cried. It hurt to breathe. "I can't…"

"Stupid girl," Shampoo clucked her tongue. "Shampoo would have let stupid girl go, if Shampoo heard apology."

With every last ounce of strength left, Lotion curled her legs underneath Shampoo, and kneed her in the stomach. The blow wasn't enough to release Shampoo's hold on her wrists, but it managed to loosen her hold on Lotion's throat. Shampoo stared down at the Amazon, clearly startled, but the shock only lasted for so long, before her scowl returned. Lotion winced when her fingernails dug into her skin. Somewhere, her mother was laughing at her daughter's predicament. Despite fighting an illusion, Lotion could never hold a candle against her mother. Her mother was always the winner, and her the loser. The result would be the same no matter what. After one last stuttering breath, Lotion allowed herself to prepare for whatever happened next.

But then the added weight of Shampoo on top of her was suddenly removed. Slowly, Lotion opened her eyes to see her mother had been shoved several feet away from her. Even though every little movement was agonizing, Lotion forced herself into an upright position. She sucked in a deep breath, before she heaved herself onto her feet. Lotion glanced over to Takumi, who chucked the rest of the lamppost he was holding over his shoulder. The post collided with whatever was left of the standing fence.

Lotion couldn't believe it. "… Did you just help me?"

"I wouldn't call it helping," Takumi informed her bluntly. "More like forced interference. It would've been pathetic if you let an illusion beat you."

"How thoughtful of you," Lotion bit out dryly. "I'll leave you to your breaking then."

"Don't worry, I will."

Lotion rolled her eyes. "What a —"

"We not finished!" Shampoo swung her leg over Lotion, who jumped backwards to avoid the incoming blow. "Shampoo will finish this now! No more distractions!"

"I think I'll be the one to end this," Lotion declared. "You shouldn't be the only one allowed to play dirty." She produced a thermos out of thin air.

Shampoo guarded. "What you planning?"

Lotion simply unscrewed the cap and took a small sip. "I'm just a little thirsty."

"Shampoo no care! Shampoo finish!"

When Shampoo charged at Lotion, it was then when she splashed the remaining amount of water on Shampoo. Landing in place of Shampoo was a disgruntled pink furred cat, who was shaking the water out of her fur. As Lotion approached the feline, Shampoo hissed at her, while baring her teeth.

Lotion knelt down to pick the disgruntled cat up by the fur. "Mother," she frowned. "… Shampoo, I don't care who or what you are. Now I know that everything I said was for nothing," she cradled the animal in her arms, despite the animal's violent attempts to escape. "Settle down now," Lotion cooed softly in Chinese. "I apologize for everything. There's no need to be angry anymore."

Shampoo stared up at Lotion in bewilderment.

Disrupting the oddly tender moment was when the earth below began to jerk uncontrollably.

"… Earthquake?"

There was laughter coming from behind her, Lotion turned around to face the middle schooler. Takumi gestured to their surroundings with the biggest grin set on his lips. It wasn't an earthquake. It was something else entirely.

The illusion was finally beginning to crumble.

**X**

Seeing the main room empty wasn't an unusual sight to see. It was only on very rare occasions when anyone would visit the dojo. Even though she enjoyed spoiling Ryuku rotten, Grandma Nodoka hardly left her home, unless it was absolutely necessary. If, for some reason, someone was searching for Genma, they could find him at a handful of places such as: Dr. Tofu's Clinic, Aunt Kasumi's house, or anywhere that served food at a reasonable price. Since Genma often shoved his grandson into troublesome situations, he wasn't exactly welcomed at the dojo. However, that never stopped him from occasionally popping up every now and then. Genma's visits wouldn't last very long. It was easy to chase the freeloader away whenever Ryuku's mother announced it was time to eat. Every time Aunt Kasumi came to visit, she'd comment on the horrible condition of the dojo, and politely ask if she could help clean up.

In turn, Akane would decline, claiming it would be too much of a hassle for her sister to handle, and that when she wasn't busy she'd take care of it. There were times when Misaki would stay over at the dojo when both of her parents were busy, or went out of town to celebrate some sort of anniversary. But Ryuku suggested it would be better for her cousin if they spent the time at Misaki's house. They didn't enjoy living like that. There were times when they genuinely tried to tidy up the place, but not only would it take them _centuries _to fix everything, but for Ryuku it was either school or work, and for Akane it was work, work, and more work. No one had the time to do anything, which was why the dojo was literally a pigsty.

Ryuku looked over the table. It was peculiar seeing it semi-clean, aside from some empty dishes Kasumi had yet to take away to clean. Earlier, the room had been glowing with life from the variety of unique personalities in one room. While it wasn't odd for Ryuku to see the room empty, it _was_ odd to see the emptiness now.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Ryuku asked herself. She picked up a bowl off of the table, noting the half-eaten cold rice left inside.

After setting the bowl down, she heard a thud coming from upstairs. Ryuku looked over to the staircase, as if on cue; Misaki came rushing out of the hallway. Inwardly, Ryuku cursed under her breath. How could she have forgotten about Misaki like that? It wasn't long before Misaki noticed her cousin downstairs. In a flash, Ryuku went to join Misaki at the top of the staircase. Misaki grabbed onto her cousin for a hug. It was convenient to hug Ryuku in girl form, since their heights were closer together.

"What took you so long?" Misaki asked, tightening her hold around Ryuku. "You promised you wouldn't take long! You promised, Ryuku!"

"I'm sorry, Misaki, I didn't mean to. Things came up."

"… You broke your promise."

"I'll make it up to you later," Ryuku said. "After everything's fixed, I'll think of something to make it up to you."

Misaki sighed. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course, I do," Ryuku gently tugged Misaki away from their abrupt embrace. "Are you okay now?" after receiving a tentative nod, Ryuku then asked. "Where is everyone?"

Misaki stared at the floor. "Auntie Akane ran inside upset," she began quietly. "She ran upstairs to her room and locked herself inside. Uncle… Ranma chased after her and tried to go inside her room. Before I knew what was happening, I was all by myself. I didn't know what else to do. Since I couldn't find you, I followed everyone else upstairs."

Ryuku silently urged her to go on at her own pace.

"When I got there, Uncle Ranma somehow got inside Auntie's room. Everything got so quiet. Panda tried using a glass to hear them, but no one could hear anything. They were too quiet," Misaki said. "Then Auntie Nabiki said something about… 'Using protection'," Ryuku's cheeks colored, as she uneasily told her cousin to never repeat those two words. "Mommy told me that, too."

Even if Misaki was thirteen, she would've preferred it if she never heard her say any of _those_ words. She already heard plenty from other filthy mouthed teenagers. There was no need for Misaki to join them. "You should listen to her," Ryuku shook her head, and pushed the conversation further. "What about Ryou's parents?"

"Uncle Ryoga and Auntie Ukyo were already banging on the door when I got there," Misaki said. "They were yelling at each other, when they couldn't get inside Auntie Akane's room. I left when they started calling each other really bad names."

"Why is everyone so quiet now?" Ryuku targeted the question more to herself than her cousin. "Misaki, can you wait here for a second? I just want to…"

Misaki took hold of her hand, when Ryuku took a step towards the hallway. "Are you going to leave again?"

"I'm not leaving you," Ryuku told her. "All I'm going to do is check something. It won't take long."

"What if it doesn't?"

As Ryuku opened her mouth to reply, a rather loud outburst startled the two cousins. "_Ranma, _how dare you make Akane cry?"

Next it was Akane's frantic shout. "Ryoga, wait!"

"What's going on now?"

A violent shake from the dojo served as an answer to Ryuku's exasperated inquiry. Ryuku stood in place, impatiently waiting for the shakes to eventually finish. But when the jerking only became more vicious, and rotting wood from the ceiling began to fall, it didn't look the quakes were going to stop anytime soon. A rather sizable plank headed for Misaki, Ryuku deflected the wood away with a hard swipe with her arm, and decided it was time to move, before something serious happened. Since she wasn't nearly as strong as her normal form, Ryuku knelt down to let Misaki onto her back. After Misaki wrapped her arms around Ryuku's shoulders, Ryuku headed for the staircase. However, a falling ceiling fan crashed into the staircase, thereby crushing the stairs into pieces.

"We're trapped!" Misaki cried. "What are we going to do, Ryuku?"

Fortunately, due to her smaller stature, it was much easier to gain speed with a female body. As Ryuku dodged the descending fragments of wood, she hightailed for the entrance to the hallway. Ryuku jumped from the earsplitting crash behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, feeling Misaki tremble against her, to see the entrance had been blocked by what was left of a wooden column. Ryuku shuddered from the possibly if she hadn't missed the column at the last second. With a rough shake of her head, Ryuku rid herself of the distraction, and broke into a sprint down the hallway. As they neared Akane's bedroom, Ryuku noticed that the hallway was empty.

"Where is everyone?" Ryuku wondered. "They couldn't have…" she saw that the bedroom door was left open. Ryuku shoved the door open, expecting to see someone inside her mother's room. Only there was no one inside either. It was as if everyone had vanished into thin air. "What the hell? This doesn't make any sense!"

Ryuku made her way over to the window. She pushed everything off of the desk to leap onto top of it. Misaki reached over Ryuku's head to clumsily unlock the window and opened it. Without wasting a second, Ryuku jumped out of the window, and then ran off the side of the room to land safely onto the ground. Everything around them began to collapse. Ryuku could only watch as the fence surrounding the dojo swiftly fell apart.

Misaki buried her face against Ryuku's shoulder. "I want to go home now!"

The ground below them harshly shook. Ryuku stumbled forward from the jagged movement and held onto the wooden pillar next to her. She barely missed the pieces of the tiles that dislodged from the rooftop. Words of assurance to calm down Misaki were lodged in her throat. It proved to be difficult to focus on anything. Ryuku's mind was racing with questions and concerns of every kind. Realizing that staying in one place wasn't going to solve anything, Ryuku finally moved away from the pillar, feeling it would collapse at any second from how it was unstable from the earth's jerky shakes.

"_Ranma!_"

Ryuku stiffened from the shout. "… Dad," she mumbled. "How could I –"

"_Ranma, you –_" the rest of the shot was cut off from loud noises.

"I have to find him," Ryuku thought frantically. She ran to where she had heard the shouts. "I _have_ to know the answer."

**X**

"Where is my darling Shampoo?" came Mousse's distressful cry, as he ran out of the Cat Café. Despite the glasses he wore, it did little to help him see through the dust, the rubble, and everything else.

He cupped his hands around his mouth, creating an improvised megaphone, which would hopefully allow Shampoo to hear him. "Shampoo, I'm right here! Your knight in shining —"

"Out of the way, you imbecile," Cologne nudged Mousse aside. An astonished gasp fell from her lips. "Just what," she shook her head. She'd receive the answers when she found the person who had caused the damage first. Cologne hopped forward; she ignored every hindrance in her path with little effort, while her old eyes skimmed the area. Through the clearing, Cologne could barely make out the shape of a figure on the ground. "Child, is that you?"

Cologne landed in front of the figure, silently taking in how damaged their body was, how the skin was decorated with smeared blood and bruises. "Child, just what is going on here?" At first, it appeared that the young Amazon hadn't heard her, as she continued to stroke the cat on her lap. Upon closer inspection, the cat was Shampoo. This only proved to confuse the elder Amazon even more. "Child, did you not hear me?"

Little by little, Lotion tilted her head back to stare up at her. With flushed cheeks, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes, translucent snot dribbling from her nostrils, and a quivering lower lip, Lotion sobbed something under her breath. She wiped the moisture away from her cheeks. An odd hiccup left her lips, every now and then. Lotion attempted to speak, only to have another shaky sob leave her lips. Briskly, she moved her head side to side, and hung her head down.

Cologne looked down at the fallen Amazon with concern. "What happened? Why are there so many tears, my child?"

Lotion sniffled. "… not real."

"What was that?"

"How can you be fake?" Lotion wept weakly. "Everything here meant n-nothing."

"Pick yourself up," Cologne urged her tenderly. "We'll have those wounds tended to. Then you can tell me what is troubling you."

"Great-great grandmother, I… I…"

Cologne leaned closer on her cane. "What is it, child?"

"I miss you so much."

"Lotion…"

Tiny withered hands cupped her cheeks to tilt her head back. Lotion pressed her hands over them, desperately holding onto them as if her life tended on it. The small smile on Cologne's lips steadied Lotion's panic. For a moment, it was as if they were back in China, Lotion would be safely tucked in her bed, while her great-great grandmother finished another one of her remarkable tales.

Lotion sighed contentedly. "If only this were reality, great-great grandmother."

The weight of the small cursed animal on her lap suddenly disappeared. Lotion glanced down in confusion. "M-Mother…?" Warmth lingered where from Shampoo had rested. "Where did you go?"

Everything else was beginning to flicker away, as if it were being erased from this forged reality. The faint screams of her father had stopped. Mousse was nowhere to be seen either. Lotion could see the Cat Café starting to dissipate from top to bottom. Nerima was vanishing. It was like waking up from a dream or a nightmare. Lotion stared at her Cologne in horror.

If everything else was disappearing then –

"Great-great grandmother," Lotion pulled Cologne towards her in a deep embrace. "You won't leave me will you? You can't leave me again! Please!"

"Lotion…"

Lotion could feel her starting to slowly vanish against her. "No! Stay! _Please!_"

"I'll always love you, child."

**X**

The day was _not_ supposed to turn out like this. After getting discharged from the hospital, he had expected to spend a few hours at the festival to strengthen the bond between brothers, return home after said bond was strengthened, enjoy the welcome home party his parents planned, and then finally end the day in his own bed. Apparently, things were not allowed to go as planned. Festivals weren't supposed to drag people back in time — things couldn't be simple in that aspect either – they were trapped in an illusion. Of course, he had to find this out the hard way, after having an argument with his best friend, and abruptly getting lost. The young lost boy had hoped everything would have gone smoother with his brother. After all, he had managed to find Takumi on his own, in an illusion no less, but it still counted in Ryou's mind.

But once again, things were never that simple, not for Ryou Hibiki anyway. Not only was it the day to be released from the hospital but it was also argue with Ryou Day as well. Having lost his direction twice, Ryou was so close to losing whatever sanity he had left. But as if that wasn't enough already, it didn't stop here yet. Once he reluctantly split away from Takumi, it appeared that now was a good time for an earthquake to happen.

"I give up!" Ryou announced to the sky, while waving his fist at the moon. "Okay? I give up already! Do your worst!"

A tree trunk smacked onto the fire hydrant located across the street. The impact from the trunk had enough kick in it that a strong stream of water splashed onto the lost boy. Now a black piglet, Ryou struggled to escape from the strong stream of water. He squealed, both in a fury and distress, and hysterically moved his hooves. Unfortunately, all attempts were futile, and the torrent led Ryou into the water canal. Ryou was relieved. Once he landed into the canal, he could quickly climb out, and then continue his course onto wherever his sense of direction led him. Maybe he'd find himself at an illusion of Jusenkyo and then find a magical illusion cure. Perhaps after that things between Ryou and his best friend would be patched up.

As Ryou found himself falling into the canal, his eyes widened and let out a loud squeal. Somehow, the wreckage from the canal had left a seemingly never-ending waterfall leading to nowhere. Ryou's squeals echoed as he descended down the hole.

"I should've kept my stupid mouth shut!" was Ryou's last thought before he met demise.

**X**

"_Dad!_"

There was no response.

"Where are you?"

Ryuku sprinted all over the dojo, but no matter where she thought to look Ranma was nowhere to be seen. Whatever had caused the earlier shakes before appeared to have stopped. The damage from the earthquake left the dojo, and everything else around the dojo, in shambles. Misaki gripped onto Ryuku's shoulders, since the shaking had stopped, she had calmed down somewhat. At least that was something good. There was an unsettling feeling tugging inside Ryuku's stomach. Ryuku couldn't find _anyone_. They couldn't have simply left. Unless, they managed to escape before everything had happened. Ryuku stopped in front of the koi pond; she stood on top of a rock lining the pond, and gazed down at the wood and other rubble that now occupied the small space.

"Where'd everyone run off too?" Ryuku sighed. "Dad left before I could even…"

"_Hey!_"

Ryuku turned to where she had head the greeting. A figure jumped from the wrecked rooftop and landed in front of Ryuku. The figure wasn't alone, held firmly in their arms was Akane.

Ranma stared down at Ryuku. "I thought you were trapped in there."

"We're sorry," Akane said. "I tried getting Ranma to come get you but —"

"Don't blame this on me, tomboy," Ranma told her, but his tone was gentle. "I was gonna go save you, believe me, but I had to get everyone else first."

Ryuku shuffled her feet on the stone.

"Say," Ranma said. "Were you calling for your dad? I kept hearing you say his name. Did you see your parents or somethin'?"

"I don't even care about the consequences anymore…"

Ranma looked at her in confusion. "What are you talkin' about?"

"Dad," Ryuku huffed. "I'm your son. My name's not Ryoko. It's Ryuku. Ryuku Saotome."

"What kind of —"

"Just hear me out, okay?" Ryuku interjected quickly. "I have a lot to say to you."

"This is weird," Ranma mumbled. "How am I supposed to believe a word you're sayin'?"

Akane lightly bonked Ranma's head. "We've seen stranger things, idiot."

"I… I have," Ryuku swallowed uneasily. "Your…"

"My what?" Ranma asked.

"Would you quit interrupting," Akane cut in.

**X**

Takumi felt like punching someone. If only to prove that they were truly back in reality. Instead, he saw the paddleball he had discarded earlier lay innocently on the floor. Takumi bent down to pick it up by the handle. He began to hit the rubber ball against the paddle. The soft thudding of the ball hitting the cheap wood did little to ease Takumi's fury. With a growl, he broke the flimsy string attached the ball, and found a likely target: his brother, who seemed to be curled up in the fetal position. Takumi hurled the ball at the back of Ryou's head. If anything he was helping his brother out, as the hit from the ball would help him snap back to reality. However, the ball never met its destination; since it was easily caught by the girl he had watched fighting that illusion.

"Don't you know how to play nice?" Lotion asked. "Or is that already a stupid question to ask?"

The middle schooler rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Ryou picked his head up from the sudden sound of his crush's voice. "L-Lotion?"

"Hello, Ryou," Lotion beamed down at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting released from the hospital? I would've been more than happy to walk you home!"

"R-Really?" Ryou gasped in disbelief. "I-I-I mean, that's very t-thoughtful of you, Lotion."

Takumi broke the paddleball in half. Carelessly, he tossed it over his shoulder, and nudged the tip of his shoe on his brother's side. "Get up," he demanded. "You look like more of an idiot than usual."

Shakily, Ryou began to uncurl from his position and stood onto his feet. "For an illusion everything felt so real," he said. "I fell down this manhole, and I kept falling and falling and…" he hugged himself, or at least attempted to due to his broken arm. "Thankfully, it wasn't real."

"Now, where are those assholes that put us in that illusion?"

"… That was an illusion?"

Takumi perked up at the sound of the moron's voice. "Well, what did you think it was, genius?" the smirk on his lips faltered slightly when his eyes landed on Misaki. "… It was an illusion. Since we're out of their shitty trick, I should go teach them a lesson."

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Ryou pointed at his brother's bandaged hands. "I'm afraid you have to be cautious of your actions now."

"Shut up," Takumi hissed. "Since when did I ever listen to you?"

Ryuku gazed at the empty stage. "Everything was an illusion."

"I felt the same way, Ryuku," Lotion laid a hand on his shoulder. She was surprised that the redhead hadn't removed her hand the second she placed it on him. "They got everyone tricked pretty well."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Takumi could see something sprinkle from the ground. It was a single yen coin. With a frown, Takumi reached into his pocket for his wallet. "What the fuck!" he snarled. "They took my fucking money!" he stomped over to Ryou and grabbed his wallet as well. When he looked inside he saw it was also empty. "I'm going to find them, and then I'm going to —"

"That was all for," Ryou shook his head. "_Money?_ Couldn't they have just robbed a bank? Wouldn't that have been less troublesome?"

Lotion sighed. "Am I the only one who didn't… mind the illusion?"

Ryuku gazed up at the sky. It looked exactly as it did in the illusion. At least something was real. "… No. You're not the only one."

**X**

"What a long day," Ryuku thought.

It had been an exhausting night. After dropping off Misaki at her house, she had stayed a little longer to make sure his cousin was alright after everything that had happened. Since time had flown by, it had gotten even later, and Aunt Kasumi insisted that he had spend the night. Ryuku politely declined the offer and went on his way home. When he finally arrived home, he opened the front door, and slipped off his shoes to set next to the other pairs in the entryway. Ryuku flipped the light switches on to see his mother had fallen asleep on the couch. She must've had a tiring day from work since she was still dressed in her work clothes, and what he assumed to be her dinner, a bowl of instant ramen, was left on the table.

Ryuku moved past his mother, heading for the staircase, but was stopped from Akane's voice. "… Where do you think you're going?"

He kept his hand on the staircase railing. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," Akane sat up on the couch to stare at her son. "Do you realize what time it is?"

"I'm not stupid."

"I wasn't saying you were, Ryuku. It's just… I was worried. Couldn't you have made sure to tell me if you were to —"

"I'm home, aren't I? Doesn't that say enough?"

"Ryuku, could you not take that tone with me?"

"I'm tired," he grunted. "I'm going to bed."

Akane called after him as he climbed up the stairs. "We're not done talking!"

"I am."

As Ryuku reached the top of the staircase, he hesitated before entering the hallway. He stared down at the room below, silently watching his mother let out a sigh and settled back down on the couch. A nagging question had been left in his mind: how much of that illusion was true? Ryuku dismissed the thought. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his father. After everything that had happened, Ryuku didn't think he was going to ever mention his father again. Ryuku walked down hallway, his heart clenched, and head pounding with unanswered questions that would forever remain without an answer.


	18. Ch 13: Extra! Saotome Stabs Yet Again!

******************Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 13:** Extra! Extra! Bloody Knife Saotome Stabs Yet Again!

The loud obnoxious chatter around her was difficult to ignore. When she stepped inside the school building, she could already see the small cliques gathered around the parts of the hallway. The groups were huddled close together, talking animatedly amongst themselves. Every time his name was mentioned she couldn't help but suppress a chilled shudder. She powered through the crowded halls, keeping her line of vision forward, and headed for her homeroom class.

As she strolled inside the classroom, she saw that she wasn't the only one inside. There were several others of her classmates, who like the cliques, were huddled together, while they gossiped about some unfortunate person. Again, she paid little mind to them and went over to her seat. She settled her schoolbag on top of her lap to idly play with the straps. It proved to be an excellent distraction from everything else.

"I just can't stand it!" she heard a girl cry. "How can anyone feel safe at this school anymore? Saotome is a monster!"

Next, there was a scoff from a boy. "Saotome has _always_ been a monster."

"There's no way I can keep coming to this school," another girl said. "Knowing that the law keeps letting Saotome get away with all this shit. I don't know why the town doesn't kick him out! He's caused enough trouble already and I'm sick of this."

"We can't do shit," the earlier boy grumbled. "Saotome's dad runs this town with an iron fist. Even if he did ditch his kid, which I don't blame him for, his dad would probably send some yakuza over or some shit."

"This is so annoying!" the second girl huffed. "I hate this place, this school, and I especially hate Saotome!"

The first girl sighed. "My little sister's coming here next year. I don't want her to be around a creep like that."

Suddenly, something was thrown on top of Ayano's desk. It was the latest issue of the Furinkan High School newspaper. The headline on the front page read: "_**Bloody Knife Saotome Stabs Yet Again!**_" Below the bolded letters was an enlarged photograph of the aforementioned redhead, which took up most of the page. Almost immediately, Ayano recognized the photo. She had been there when the picture was taken. There was Ryuku standing in the middle of her neighborhood. The damages caused by the redhead were still in the process of being repaired. Thanks to Ryuku, some people were left homeless due to the intensive harm done to their homes.

The picture depicted Ryuku holding the boy she had saved by the neck. Most of the boy's head blocked Ryuku's face, effectively shielding the sadistic expression he had worn. Since the picture was shown in black and white all of the injuries, the smeared blood, and the tattered condition of their clothes weren't as vivid as seeing them in person. Hands grasped onto the edge of her desk, fingernails messily coated with black nail polish scratched at the surface. Ayano didn't bother to look up. She simply nudged the newspaper forward until it fell onto the floor.

Above her there was a snort. "What? You don't like what you saw? I'm kind of offended. That photo really showed the quality of my work. It's a shame about the color. All the blood really spiced up the mood." the newspaper was slammed onto her desk. "Did you even read the article yet? I'd appreciate some feedback, since I was the one who wrote it."

Ayano shook her head. She glanced down at her lap, continuing to fiddle with the straps on her schoolbag.

"Jeez, what's wrong with you? All I wanted to know was your opinion. If it's negative, I could honestly care less. I already have the entire student body on my side. One person rebelling against the crowd isn't going to make much of a difference."

She glared up at Fumio, who was grinning smugly at her. Her lips pressed together forming a thin line.

"Looks like he wasn't the saint you desperately wanted him to be," Fumio stated matter-of-factly. "I told you there was nothing good about Saotome. He's a freak, a violent redheaded freak. You're lucky he didn't kill you when he had the chance. Some people are never that fortunate."

"… How did you get this picture?"

"Does it matter?"

"No."

"Well, are you just going to keep glaring at me," Fumio leaned forward to give Ayano a glare of his own. "Or are you going to read the damn thing?"

Ayano turned her gaze to the newspaper laid out on her desk. Her teeth gnawed at her bottom lip. She couldn't believe anything Fumio wrote about Ryuku. The only thing that possibly held any truth was the photograph. She wouldn't put it past the gossip to tamper with the photo somehow. Her eyes quickly skimmed over the picture. Ayano was relieved that Fumio had taken the picture without showing Ryuku's face. She wouldn't be able to bear seeing it another time. Fumio's glare would never resemble how Ryuku had glared at her. The way Ryuku's dark blue eyes had coldly gazed at her as if she was nothing but a useless speck. A speck he could easily wipe away and dismiss forever. His cold stare would be burned in Ayano's mind.

The words of the article were more welcoming than the image. Ayano mentally prepared herself for what she was about to read, knowing full well she wouldn't like any of what Fumio had written.

The written article read as followed: _No one knows when something or someone will trigger Bloody Knife Saotome's never-ending rage. Maybe if his light is being blocked, while he's wiping the crusty dried blood clean off of his blade. Who knows? If you look at him funny, it'll probably cost you your life! Some unfortunate kid _(see picture above) _must have done something, or maybe he didn't do a thing, to piss off the redhead. Several witnesses have claimed they had seen Saotome, while in the middle of threatening the child, take out his knife and nearly left the victim with a fatal stab wound. Is anyone really safe from Bloody Knife Saotome? Or are we going to have to keep society away from this knife wielding monster as well? _(Article continues on page 6)

"Normally, each article is only supposed to be about a page long," Fumio told Ayano. "But thanks to Saotome I was allowed more space. Guess I have to at least thank him for that."

Ayano threw the newspaper at Fumio's chest.

With a small laugh, Fumio moved the newspaper underneath his arm. "Does that mean you liked it?" he snickered. "Your opinion was much appreciated. Guess I'll leave you to your… sulking for being proved wrong."

**X**

Considering their less than stellar reputation it certainly wasn't anything new to hear various whispers and comments behind them. However, for some strange reason, there was a different tenser feeling surrounding them. Ryuku paid little attention to his environment, having grown used to other's treatment towards him a long time ago. The lost boy was amazed by how much his best friend remained oblivious of. The terrified gawks targeted onto the redhead were hard to miss. It was like Ryuku was a caged animal to be viewed for their amusement from the way they pointed their fingers at him.

Normally, the attention would be split in two parts. One half of the student population were usually trembling in fear from Ryuku's presence, while the other half – who were brave enough – tossed insults and chucked paper balls at Ryou. Today it was different. Everyone was fixated solely on Ryuku.

No one had commented on Ryou's sudden reappearance at school. He had been cooped up in the hospital for several weeks and no one cared. Of course, Ryou wasn't hurt about this little discovery. Whenever Ryou did somehow manage to find Furinkan, he was immediately flocked by a group flinging unfinished homework at him. Every time Ryou answered every single on one of their questions correctly, they'd stare at him oddly and then walk away in confusion. The next day the whole thing would start up again, as if no one had learned their lesson from the last time. Sometimes Ryuku's reputation paid off, since it left not only the redhead alone but Ryou as well. Ryou struggled to find what the issue was. Why was everyone acting so much stranger than usual? As far as Ryou could tell, nothing had happened to cause such an exaggerated stir around the high school.

"Ryuku, don't you hear them?"

The redhead spared a brief glance over at Ryou, before he turned his attention back forward. "Why do you suddenly care?" he asked with a bit of venom in his voice. Ryou winced. After their _adventure in time_ things between the two friends had landed on a slight sour note. "Just ignore it, Ryou."

"Doesn't it seem worse than usual?" Ryou pressed on. "I can't be imagining things. They're looking at you like you're some sort of convicted murderer."

"Shouldn't you be worrying about something else? Like, I don't know, getting to class on time?"

"Alright, I get it," he sighed. "Can we make a quick stop to my locker first? I need to grab a few things."

Ryuku led his friend over to his locker. "Make it quick," Ryuku told him. "I know you don't want to be late on your first day back."

"Of course, I don't…"

The rest of Ryou's sentence trailed off when his eyes landed onto what was tacked on his locker. It was a newspaper. Not only did the newspaper feature his best friend in the title, but Ryuku was also in the photograph. Ryou traced his fingertips over the image.

"Ryuku," his eyes widened in shock upon closer inspection of the image. His fingers pressed harder into the thin paper. "What the hell is this?"

"What are you going on about now?"

"Did you not see this yet?" Ryou removed the newspaper from the lockers and held it up for Ryuku to see. "Do you want to tell me what this is about?"

Silence was Ryou's answer, while Ryuku simply stared at the photo.

"Staring isn't going to change it. That's you," he pointed his finger at Ryuku, only to move it a second later onto the second person in the picture. "And if there's a slight chance you hadn't noticed my little brother you're choking."

"… Shit." was Ryuku's intelligent reply.

He snatched the newspapers from Ryou to gawk at the article in closer detail. Several weeks had gone by since the awful mirror incident, yet there were always the nitpicky repercussions that only Ryuku had to deal with. The only thing he had bothered to mention to Ryou was his girl side. He had completely forgotten about the havoc his boy side caused to various parts of Nerima. Everything crazy girly-girl Ryoko did made her seem like a saint compared to his male doppelganger.

"_Shit._"

"Mind telling me what's going on?"

"How could I have forgotten about him?" Ryuku mumbled to himself. It figured sooner or later the mirror would bite him in the ass. He scratched at his cheek, while he prepared an explanation for his friend. "Remember when I… _hit_ on you?"

"I don't think that's something easily forgotten."

"You never did hear the whole story," Ryuku said. "Only because we were, err, _I _was distracted with other things."

Ryou shot Ryuku an expectant look. "You don't want to be late, do you?"

"Because you were the one that – forget it, I'm not going to argue," Ryuku heaved a loud sigh. "Okay. Grandpa had this mirror. Apparently, it was a cure, and I guess it kind of was one. But something weird happened and the mirror it… split me in two. Or more like three."

Ryou made a puzzled face.

"I know it sounds weird but it's the truth. I wouldn't make up something like that. You and I both know I'm not that creative."

"Fine," Ryou said. "Continue."

"Even though I sort of explained the actions of my girl side to you, I forgot about, well, me. The guy me," Ryuku said. "While 'Ryoko' was off with you, the other me was trying to find the greatest fighter in Nerima. Your brother showed up. During some point of the fight, I attacked some guy and apparently sent him to the hospital. His wife was pissed, which I don't blame her for. Some police offers went over to the dojo to send my mom the hospital bills. Anyway, me and Takumi fought… and I totally kicked his ass. But I was a total jerk. When my hands wrapped around his throat," he curled the newspaper in his hands into a roll. "I seriously thought I was going to kill him."

"But you didn't," Ryou said. "Thank god you didn't."

"It was all thanks to Aya –" Ryuku's eyes widened. "_Fuck!_ I completely forgot…" Cutting in the middle of Ryuku's sentence was the shrill cry from the bell. "Seriously!" he grabbed onto Ryou's good arm and dragged him down the hallway. "Come on, Ryou!"

**X**

One of the things Ryou had been looking forward to, since his return to Furinkan, was rejoining his best friend for lunch. Lunch time with Ryuku was spent at their usual lunch spot. It was a pleasant location around the fairly large campus of the high school. Not only was the spot far enough so no one bothered them, but it was also a convenient distance which kept the lost boy from straying very far from Furinkan. However, it appeared that the redhead already had another plan in mind for them during their lunch break. Since the beginning of lunch, the pair had been searching every other classroom down the hallways. With every empty or irrelevant classroom they stumbled upon, Ryuku's annoyance level increased ever-so-slightly. It was fairly obvious that his friend was looking for someone. Ryuku only had a limited amount of patience. If his search wasn't going to change anytime soon, Ryou hoped his friend wouldn't become too angry. If something like that happened, Ryou never looked forward to being the one to calm his friend down.

After visiting yet another empty classroom, Ryou finally decided it was time to pop in a question. "Who are you looking for?"

Ryuku glanced over his shoulder. "What makes you think I'm looking for someone?"

"You're a terrible liar," Ryou informed the redhead. "Do you really expect me to fall for a stupid thing like that?"

"… I just need to clear something up. It won't take too long," Ryuku assured him. At least, he didn't look_ that_ irritated. Ryou had no idea how long that would last. "Once I find where the hell they are."

"Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help in some way." Despite being horrible with directions, the lost boy found he was quite excellent at remembering peoples' faces. If he had seen whoever Ryuku was looking for there was a high possibly he could match the person with a name.

Ryuku snorted. "I highly doubt that," he waved Ryou's offer off. "But thanks for the suggestion."

"Are you really going to leave me in the dark?" Ryou hated sounding desperate, especially in front of Ryuku, but sometimes a guy had to swallow his pride. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been gone for a long time! All those times you've visited me at the hospital, we've always been interrupted by something or someone or someone who_ looked_ like their best friend in girl form," Ryuku winced at that last bit. "You've never once said anything about what was happening at school."

"Nothing happened, okay? Nothing worth mentioning anyway," he grumbled under his breath. "Don't make this into a big deal."

Maybe Ryuku actually enjoyed seeing him practically _beg_. Ryou rubbed his hand over his face. "There's more to this isn't there?" he asked through an annoyed groan. "But you won't tell me a thing, because of that illusion thing. Am I right? I forgave you when you supposedly flirted with me! Don't you think I deserve that much at least?"

Ryuku stopped his strides down the hallway. He let out a deep sigh, before turning to face his friend. "I need to deal with something first. Okay? Is that alright with you, Ryou? Should I have asked for permission first?"

"Fine," Ryou huffed. His hand touched the the yellow bandana tied around his left bicep. Sometimes he wished he was wearing his father's bandannas, instead of the ones he had gotten from one of his many travels. Then, he'd have _something_ to throw at Ryuku. "Fine, Ryuku! We'll just talk later then!"

"Once I find her, then we can go on with our lives."

"… _Her_?" Ryou repeated. He hadn't bothered to mask his shock. "You're looking for a girl?"

Ryuku's face scrunched up. "So what if I am? Is that a problem?"

"You've just never been good with girls is all." came Ryou's swift reply.

"And you're so much better?"

A blush stained Ryou's cheeks. Ryuku had a point. Like his father, girls had never been his forte. "Well, no."

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "Come on," he spun around to resume walking down the hall. "I want to find her before lunch ends."

"Whatever you say," Ryou followed after the redhead from a close distance. He couldn't help but notice that Ryuku's pace had drastically sped up. His patience must be starting to grow thin. To keep the conversation alive, he popped another question. "Do I know her?"

"Don't think so."

"I tell you everything."

"Only because you blab everything," Ryuku drawled. "I don't even have to do anything to get you to talk. You talk all on your own, pork-butt."

Ryou snorted. "Well, someone has to talk to keep our friendship from dying out. The only things you do are brood and sulk, but sometimes you jazz it up with some girly brooding and sulking."

"I don't do any of that stuff."

"Except that you're doing 'that stuff' right now?"

Ryuku crossed his arms over his chest. "I am _not_," he said firmly. "Besides, if I _do_ brood and skulk —"

"Sulk," Ryou automatically corrected.

"_Whatever_," Ryuku growled. "It's only because I have to hear a damn chatterbox go on and on about some stupid girl. 'Oh, L-Lotion, you're so p-pretty today! You're pretty every day, or the month, or the year!'" he moved his hands onto his cheeks and gasped in mock surprise. "'Lotion touched my shoulder! I'm not worthy of such kindness from her! Quick! Someone catch me! I'm fainting!' Or how about…"

"Okay. I get it already."

"Do you?" Ryuku laughed.

Ryou couldn't help but laugh himself. "Yeah," he was pleased that the discussion had taken a somewhat lighter note. "But your impression of me could use a lot of work."

"Please. It was flawless."

The two teenage boys carried on with their teasing, while they searched for Ryuku's mysterious person that he needed to find. Whoever this girl was had to be important, which was why Ryou had to bring up the subject once again. "So, this girl you're looking for. Is this someone you… like?" after an awkward beat, the lost boy quickly added. "As a friend?"

"No," Ryuku answered curtly. "She's nothing."

"Do you at least know her name?"

"… Ayano."

Ryou repeated the name in his head. It didn't sound very familiar. "No last name?"

"No."

"Do you know where she might be?"

"If I knew where she was, don't you think I'd know where she was by now?"

"I was just trying to help, Ryuku."

"Then stop helping."

"If _someone_ doesn't help I don't think you'll ever find her," Ryou pointed out to his friend. He hoped his tone didn't sound too snobby. "Not that I'm implying anything useful, because that would mean I'm being helpful, which you clearly don't want me to be. So I'm not. Helping you that is."

A frustrated growl came from the redhead. "Was I asking you to be a smartass, porky?"

"Calm down, Ryoko. You'll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that. You don't want to chase away all those boys!" If they had been talking in a different location, Ryou had a hunch Ryuku would've taken a swing at him by now. There was that warning glint in Ryuku's eyes. Sometimes it was almost too easy to get Ryuku riled up. Perhaps it was one of his mother's traits he had inherited. His father had frequently told his son how Akane was easily prone to fits of anger. Apparently, she had calmed down somewhat since her husband's departure, but her fiery fury had resided with her son instead. "Are you willing to accept some assistance now?"

"… _Alright_," Ryuku gritted out reluctantly. "But I doubt your input will be very useful."

"We'll see about that!" Ryou grinned. He grabbed onto the back of Ryuku's uniform jacket signaling for him to stop. With a clenched jaw, Ryuku obeyed and glared over his shoulder at his friend. "When was the last time you _really _saw her? Before you answer, I want you to think about it."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ryuku grunted out irritably. "Is this supposed to be a stupid riddle? Riddles won't help me with anything!"

Ryou rolled his eyes. One of the things his friend loathed with a passion was riddles, while he, on the other hand, adored them. He never could reason why Ryuku reacted so negatively to a hard yet fun riddle. "Relax. This isn't a riddle," Ryou assured him. "You aren't friends with her, right?" when Ryuku nodded his head, he abruptly carried on. "That means you two must not spend much time around each other. Your only communications would be during school hours. Since we pretty much have the same classes, it's obvious that you don't share any with her. If you knew her schedule, we could try searching her classrooms."

"Why would I know her classes?"

"I wasn't saying you had to," Ryou sighed. "I'm just crossing some possibilities out. How about this: is she a good student?"

"… I guess," Ryuku shrugged, unsure of where Ryou was going. "She helps teachers with some things."

"There we go! That's something! Do you know where she goes to help?"

"… I know _one_ place."

"Did we look there yet?"

Ryuku shook his head.

"Where is it?"

"Detention."

**X**

"Is that her?"

Ryuku almost didn't want to look inside the classroom. He didn't hate when Ryou was right. He only hated when he bragged. Ryou especially bragged when Ryuku was wrong about something. Lifting his gaze away from the floor, Ryuku's eyes landed onto the girl sitting at the teacher's desk. It was completely silent save for the occasional noise of paper being shuffled around. From where he stood in the doorway, it seemed like she had shrunk since the last time he had seen her. Granted, their last encounter wasn't exactly the best one to recall as he had nearly hit her. But it was her. Ryuku peered inside the classroom, taking note that the only person inside was Ayano. Fortunately, it saved Ryuku from creating a scene but there was an odd feeling that no one was in detention – not even a teacher was present. There certainly weren't any saints attending Furinkan High School.

"… Is that her?" Ryou repeated somewhat louder.

"Yeah, it's her," Ryuku hissed back. "Would you quit breathing down my neck?"

Ryou held his hands up in front of him, while he slowly backed away. "Sorry. I didn't realize you were so uppity."

Instead of wasting time with arguing, Ryuku simply told him. "Wait out here. It won't take long."

"You're welcome."

"Wipe that grin off your face."

A sudden feeling of hesitance washed over the redhead before he even set foot inside the room. He had no idea how the upcoming scene would play out. Ryuku swallowed uneasily. There was no need for nervousness. It wasn't like he was going to talk to anyone special. She was only a clingy girl, who craved something Ryuku couldn't quite understand. With a deep breath, Ryuku finally entered the classroom. He stopped at the side of the desk, taking in the girl grading papers at a gradual pace. She held a red pen in her right hand while her left elbow was propped on top of the desk, allowing her cheek to rest onto her palm. To gain her attention, Ryuku cleared his throat.

Expecting the return of the teacher, Ayano immediately averted her eyes upwards with a greeting ready to leave her lips. She blanched from the sudden appearance of the redhead. She retreated back the papers placed before her. "Look like your working hard. Maybe he'll leave you alone." she told herself.

"H-Hey," He actually stuttered. Ryuku mentally chided himself for such uncharacteristic behavior. Maybe then he'd rid himself of his anxiety. She wasn't special. "You don't have to talk to me. All you have to do is listen."

After an awkward pause came Ayano's answer. "I don't want to."

Ryuku blinked. He hadn't expected to hear that. "I'm sorry," he said. "What did you say?"

She corrected another wrong answer to a question in the test with a simple swish of her pen. "I don't want to listen."

"Why?" Ryuku blurted out. "Why don't you?"

"… I just don't."

Ryuku set his hands down onto the edge of the teacher's desk. He stared down at the items decorating the surface. There was a coffee mug crammed with all sorts of pens and pencils, a shiny red plastic apple placed next to the teacher's name plate, a wooden figurine of a body walking in motion, and an expensive laptop shut closed. Innocently laying on top of the laptop, acting as if it was mocking him, was the school's newspaper. "You're going to believe that newspaper bullshit?"

Ayano chose to remain silent and answered Ryuku with a small shake of her head.

"Then why don't you want to listen to what I have to say?" Ryuku asked. "Don't I have the right to explain myself?"

Ayano's lips formed a small frown. "What's there to explain?"

His grip on the wood tightened to the point where his knuckles turned white. "There are a lot of damn things!"

With a huff, Ayano placed the pen down on the desk. She fixed the stack of the papers she had finished grading. "I was there," she murmured. "There's nothing to say. What _is_ there to say?"

"You aren't going to hear my side of it?"

She blew her bangs away from her face when she heaved a sigh. "Why do I need to hear your side? What I saw was enough. I don't _need_ to believe some article on a high school newspaper. Seeing it gave me all the answers I needed."

"That's bullshit!" Ryuku exclaimed. "I don't care what you saw, because you don't know everything. You can't assume everything you saw was the truth!"

"What am I assuming?" was her snappy reply, slightly startling the redhead from unusual it was to see Ayano annoyed. Usually, it was the other way around. "That the person I saw wasn't you? Who was it then? Your evil twin? Do I really look that dumb?"

Ryuku released his hold on the desk, having calmed down somewhat. "Was I calling you stupid?"

"I may be naïve and hopeful of so many things but I'm not stupid," she picked up her pen. "… You should leave. I'm the only one allowed in here right now."

"Wow. You're really going to blow me off," Ryuku laughed hollowly. "I guess everything you said was just a bunch of big talk? I am a horrible disgusting monster."

Ayano looked like she wanted to say more but instead she told the redhead. "I need to finish grading these before lunch is over."

"That's why we have teachers."

She didn't bother to respond back.

"Whatever," he growled. "I'll leave. Just give me my food and I'll go."

Ayano tapped the pen onto the desk. "I didn't make you anything," she didn't even look guilty about breaking a promise. It was a promise she had insisted on following through with. He hadn't done a thing to cause her to prepare him several bentos per day. She had done that all on her own. "I'm not going to make you bentos anymore."

"Is that so?"

"I'm so sorry for breaking a promise, but there's no point on wasting time for someone who –"

"Everyone judges?" Ryuku finished. He slammed his hands on the desk, startling Ayano who jumped up in her seat. At least she had the decency to look scared. "Who everyone doesn't know a shit about?" he leaned in closer towards her, glaring at her coldly. "I can't wait to see you with the crowd, spitting out another _outrageous_ rumor about _Bloody Knife Saotome_." He laughed bitterly. "I probably should leave anyway. All those bitches I've stabbed made my blade dull."

"… You're not being fair."

"Why should I be fair?" he snarled. "You weren't with me!"

"I haven't done anything wrong," Ayano whispered. She stared at her lap, wrapping the material of her skirt around with her fingers, while she shakily uttered the rest of her statement. "Except maybe try to be friends with someone like _you_."

Ryuku exhaled through his mouth. "That's fine," he stated calmly. "That's totally fine, Ayano. Do you want to know why?" he didn't care to hear her answer. He roughly knocked everything off the desk starting with the cup, then the name plate and plastic apple, and ending with the piles of papers. "I don't need any friends."

**X**

A short amount of time had passed since her last conversation with Ryuku, yet it felt much longer than a single day. She would've been lying to herself if she said she hadn't wanted to listen to what Ryuku had to tell her. But it would've been useless. There was nothing Ryuku could say or do to prove what she had seen with her own eyes. Not only had he acted cruelly to that boy, but he had also mistreated his own sister. How could anyone do something like that without any sense of remorse?

When Ryoko had left her house, Ayano hadn't thought to check up on her friend since then. A phone call would've sufficed. Anything would have been better than doing nothing at all. No wonder she had no one to call a friend. Every chance of a possible friendship beginning would be brought to an abrupt end thanks to her idiocy. Who would want to be around someone who didn't know how to be there for someone in need?

"Excuse me?"

Ayano glanced up from her desk. Standing in front of her was a young man, who she immediately recognized as one of her classmates. His short dark brown hair was spiked up in a variety of directions. Narrow hazel eyes stared down at her with a gentle gaze. He wore his uniform somewhat less neatly than the other boys. The first three buttons of the jacket was undone, exposing his white t-shirt underneath, which wasn't properly tucked into his pants. The jacket sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing fine pale lower arms, a black wristband on his right wrist, and a white digital watch on his left. The boy had a welcoming presence surrounding him. He looked like the kind of guy who had lots of friends and was really popular. Then again, there were many _popular_ kids on campus. Ayano never took the time to notice them like everyone else did.

Uneasily, Ayano greeted her fellow classmate. "… Hi."

An amused smile went on his lips. "Hi yourself," he chuckled. "I'm sorry to say this, since you look so comfortable, but…" he paused to run his fingers through the back of his hair. "You're kind of in my seat."

"I am?" she looked down at the desk. He was right. Her seat was a few rows farther back. How unusual. Normally, she wouldn't have made such a careless mistake like that. "I'm so sorry. I'll move right away."

"That's alright," he assured her with another laugh. "You can sit there if you want."

"I can't take your seat," Ayano said. "I'll move. I'm sorry." She hurried over to her own seat and patiently counted the remaining minutes left, until the school day finally started.

Once the bell rang, their homeroom teacher strolled inside. He set his briefcase onto his desk and briefly started and finished attendance. Once he finished the little things, he announced to his class that it was time to pick new seats. Naturally, everyone chose to sit next to their friends. Ayano remained in her spot. It wasn't long before everyone was settled at their new desks. For the teacher's next announcement, it was deemed that there would be a partner project. Partners were assigned by the person sitting next to them. Ayano turned to meet her new partner. To her surprise, she saw the same boy as before. He gave her a charming smile, which caused Ayano's cheeks to heat up.

"Looks like we're partners, huh?"

She returned his smile with a weak one of her own. "I-I guess we are."

"Well, partner," he said. "Why don't we start by introducing ourselves?"

"That sounds like a good idea," she agreed meekly. "My name is Ayano Makanai."

"Nice to meet you," he said. "I'm Togo Ozaki."

"It's nice to meet you too, Ozaki."

"Please," her partner grinned. "Call me Togo."

"Alright… Togo."

"Looks like this'll be the start of a great partnership," Togo said. "Don't you think so, Ayano?"

Ayano's smile widened. "I think so!"

**X**

For a split second time stopped when the lunch bell finally sounded throughout Furinkan's campus. Immediately, everyone stopped what they were doing and casual chatter about their starting lunch break began to build up. Ayano could only watch as her peers gathered with their friends, happily chatting with each other, before exiting the room. She brought her schoolbag on top of her lap, flipping the flap open to search inside for her lunch. Before Ryuku, she had attempted to eat lunch with her sister and her friends. But Naori always managed to convince Ayano to rethink her decision at the last second. This usually left Ayano with her lunch getting handed off to one of Naori's friend, while she skulked back to where she belonged. Her hand wrapped around her cell phone. She contemplated if she should send a message to Ryoko. Even if the girl didn't go to Furinkan, it was still comforting to be able to talk to someone.

A sudden greeting caught Ayano off guard. "Hey there partner."

Ayano sent a smile at the boy in front of her, who had his hands jammed in his pants pockets. "Hello Togo."

Togo rolled onto the balls of his feet; he rocked back and forth a bit, acting cool and calm. "Are you getting ready to leave for lunch?"

She hadn't realized how quickly the room had emptied. Aside from a select handful of students, Ayano was one out of seven remaining inside the classroom. Sometimes lunch was spent as added studying time, which explained two of them. The other four were occupied with handheld videogames, while they idly munched on junk food. Ayano could choose to study if she wanted. But she preferred keeping her studies to a minimum to keep her stress levels at ease. Lunch time was free time.

"I thought I'd eat in here."

Togo briefly skimmed over the others. "Are you waiting for your friends to get you?"

There was no point on lying. "No."

A disapproving frown set on his lips. "You're going to eat by yourself?"

Ayano gaped at her partner in concern. "Is that bad?"

Togo laughed. Ayano found that he had a rather pleasant sound of laughter. "No, it's not bad," his smile widened slightly. "I've got a cool idea. Why don't you come eat lunch with me?"

"… You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," Togo assured her. "We're partners, remember?"

"Yo, Togo!" Ayano glanced over to the doorway finding a group of boys gathered outside in the hallway. They all had their eyes on Togo, who was sheepishly waving at them. "Come on, man!" one of them cried. "We're starving!"

Ayano pulled out her bento box. She ran her thumb over the smooth design of the lunch box, covering the smiling face of a sparkly purple unicorn leaping over a smiling rainbow and frowning rainy clouds. "What about your friends?"

"People say the more the merrier for a reason."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"Quit stalling," Togo teased lightly. "Food tastes better with company."

Maybe it would be a good idea to have some company. It would keep her distracted from her thoughts. She needed a distraction. She needed to be able to make friends. Naori would be pleased if she had friends of her own. "I guess you're right."

"I am right. So, are you coming with or what?"

Ayano nodded. "I'll go."

**X**

"Aren't you hungry?"

Despite the small protesting growl from his stomach, Ryuku shook his head. While he appreciated his friend offering him a part of his lunch, the only food Ryou brought along with him was okonomiyaki. Of course, all of the lost boy's meals were homemade either by Ryou's mother or Ryou. Sometimes when Ryuku's appetite became too much to handle, he'd quickly scarf down part of Ryou's savory pancake. But Ryuku only resorted to that decision on very rare occasions.

With a deep sigh, Ryuku flopped onto his back, relishing the comfort of lush green grass on his back. He let his eyes shut to drift off into his thoughts. Since he had last spoken to Ayano, there was a pestering feeling slowly nibbling at his conscious. No matter how much he tried to shake away the feeling it stuck like superglue.

Suddenly, a cheerful voice chirped a welcome. "Special delivery!" Lotion leapt down from a nearby tree she had been using as a hiding spot and landed on top of the redhead. She cupped Ryuku's cheeks. "Oh? Are you sleeping?"

"I was trying to until some crazy —"

Ryou cut in before Ryuku could finish his retort. "Should I leave?" he asked. "I feel like I'm intruding."

"Ryou, I didn't even notice you!" Lotion crawled off of Ryuku to greet Ryou with a warm smile. "Please, stay! How could you be intruding? We're all friends here aren't we?"

"Right," Ryou nodded numbly. "We're… friends."

"Well, if you're not leaving," Ryuku leapt onto his feet. "Someone should."

"You can't leave! I brought you lunch!" Lotion jumped back into the tree branches to fetch a steel container. She hopped down in front of Ryuku to prevent him from leaving. "Courtesy of the Cat Café!" she opened the lid, revealing a piping hot bowl of ramen inside. "See? It's still warm. Doesn't it look yummy?"

"Why don't you give it to Ryou?" Ryuku suggested, before he walked around the Amazon. "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to eat it."

"Ryuku," Ryou called out. "Where are you going?"

"I'm coming back!" Ryuku assured him. "I won't let you get lost before the day is even over."

A short stroll around the school grounds should be enough to clear his mind. Maybe leaving Lotion alone with Ryou for a few minutes would be enough for her to shift her affections onto someone else. Hopefully, Ryou wouldn't screw up his chance by losing his usual calm and collected composure. Ryuku jammed his hands into his pockets, while he stared off into the cloudless sky. Since everyone scrambled out of his path, he didn't need to worry about bumping into anyone. There was one positive advantage to having such a tarnished reputation.

From a distance, Ryuku picked up the sound of two voices which belonged to girls. Given the tone of their voices, the pair of females was clearly upset about something. Ryuku never cared to eavesdrop on others, given that he was usually the topic of interest. But he couldn't help himself from listening on.

"This is so unbelievable!" One of the girls cried.

"Tell me about it," the other girl sighed in agreement. "I'm glad she moved on from the freak," The way she had spoken the last word meant it was for Ryuku. If anyone was the freak at Furinkan it was Ryuku Saotome. No one else could fit the title. "No girl deserves to be tangled up in his messes."

"I can't believe he talked to her!" the earlier girl whined. "Let her eat lunch with him! Out of any girl he could choose in this school! It had to be her!"

"It has to be pity. That's the only thing that makes sense."

"Totally," she said to her companion. "She's not even that pretty. _I_ look like a model compared to her."

"She better not get her hopes up. If she starts sinking her nails into him, I swear I'll –" her sentence stopped when she bumped into someone. "Excuse you! Watch where you're," a horrified gasp left her mouth. "S-Saotome!"

Her friend grabbed onto her friend's arm. "She didn't mean to bump into you! I promise! Please don't hurt her! We'll do anything you want, whatever freakish things you want!"

Wordlessly, Ryuku shoved past the two blabbering girls. He couldn't help but be somewhat curious about what they had been talking about. They had been glaring at something off to the side, while they complained about some other girl. Ryuku looked over to where the girls were gawking. There was a group of guys eating lunch, having the times of their lives. That didn't seem like anything unusual.

"Wait a second," he trailed off when his eyes locked onto the only girl sitting with the group.

It was Ayano.

"You told me you didn't have any friends," Ryuku muttered to himself. "Guess I'm not the only _liar_ around here." He shook his head. "Not that I care about what you do."

**X**

Togo's suggestion for Ayano to tag along with him and his friends during lunch was definitely kindhearted. Ayano greatly appreciated the sentiment, but she couldn't help but feel out of place among the group. There was no one she could connect with. Even if Togo had invited her, she had only just met the boy. She knew nothing about him besides his name. The only person she could even hope to have a pleasant conversation with was heavily immersed from the antics of his four friends. To help relieve her discomfort, she focused on her untouched meal. Or at least she attempted to.

"Did I tell you guys what happened after my date last night?" One of Togo's friends began. Ayano wasn't sure which friend it was, as they hadn't bothered to introduce themselves. Unsure of what to call them, Ayano decided it would be easier to refer to them as numbers one through four.

The one on the right side of Ayano, Togo's second friend or number two, asked. "What happened?" Ayano's nose wrinkled from the smell of cigarettes and another icky scent she couldn't exactly describe with words.

"When I dropped her off at her house, she dragged me inside," a lecherous grin went on number one's lips. "Told me her parents were out."

Togo's third friend, or in Ayano's terms number three, exclaimed. "Shit! Did you two…?"

"On her parent's bed," number one finished smugly. "Twice."

The four guys all whooped and then proceeded to give each other high fives. Ayano couldn't help but notice Togo didn't take part with their obnoxious cheering. In fact, he hadn't said a word since everyone had started to eat their lunch. Togo caught Ayano's look of concern. He simply returned her gaze with an assuring smile. Ayano stared down at her lap, as she struggled to fight off the blush creeping onto her cheeks.

The fourth guy, or number four, who had yet chipped in his two cents announced. "Miyuki confessed to me. I turned her down, though."

"Why dude?" number two asked. "She's totally hot!"

"I'm an impatient guy," number four shrugged. "She doesn't put out after the first date."

Number three snorted. "Jeez, what a buzz kill! Any chick like that doesn't deserve such a hot bod!"

Number one waved his hand in front of Togo's face. "Yo Togo! You okay, man?" he tossed his packet of cigarettes on Togo's lap. "You've been quiet ever since lunch started."

Togo picked up the pack only to carelessly drop it onto the grass. "Sorry guys," he sighed. "It's… my old man. He's been getting worse lately."

The other four exchanged looks between each other, before number three asked. "What's up with him now?"

"When he came home a couple of days ago, everything went the same as usual," Togo started. "It was already past two o'clock. He was totally wasted. He barged into my room, blabbering how he saw mom again. Apparently, she promised him that she wasn't dead. Now, he comes home twice as wasted as ever. He's a compete wreck. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten fired yet."

Number two clucked his tongue. "Just tell your old man to fetch himself a new bitch. He has plenty of money for it."

Togo shook his head. "My mom's been gone for two years now," he whistled lowly. "Where does the time go?"

Number three clapped his hand over Togo's shoulder. "Don't let that stuff get you down!" he said. "Do you know who totally wants to get into your pants right now?"

A sly smirk went on number four's lips. "Let me guess…" they all turned to each other and yelled in unison. "Juri Yamashita!"

"I think I'll pass." Togo scoffed.

"Why would you pass?" Number two hissed. "If you say the word she'll totally drop her —"

"Can you guys stop thinking with your dick for one second? We've got a lady right here," Togo interjected harshly. He glanced over at Ayano, who wanted to fall into a deep hole. With a sigh, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Sorry about these guys, Ayano. They're just a bunch of horny bastards."

Ayano glanced over at his arm around her. She couldn't fight the blush taking over her cheeks. "I-It's fine."

Number one raised his eyebrow at Ayano. "Is _she_ why you don't want Juri?"

"Stop being such a dick," Togo huffed. "She's a friend. I don't know if you guys know this but girls can actually be friends."

"I'm sure they can be," number two nodded. "If they're ugly enough."

Togo rolled his eyes. "Why am I friends with you guys?"

**X**

Surprisingly, Lotion turned out to be useful for something after all. The Amazon had offered to walk Ryou home, while Ryuku went off to the boy's bathroom to get ready for work. Ryuku could still remember the goofy expression written over his best friend's face when Lotion linked their arms together and set for his house. If Ryou played his cards right something _could_ happen during their little rendezvous. Ryuku had a hunch the latter he'd screw it up. At least Ryou would have another Lotion story to blab about for tomorrow during school.

Ryuku shut off the cold water nozzle on the bathroom sink. He lifted the bucket up and out of the sink and placed it onto the white tiled floor, before he unbuttoned the top of his uniform. After folding the jacket, he shoved the article of clothing into his duffle bag. Ryuku shucked off his slippers – he'd fetch his shoes from his shoe locker on the way out, it's not like anyone hovered around his locker anyway – and then his pants leaving him standing in his boxers and tank top. With a deep breath, he reached for the bucket and clenched his eyes shut to douse the cold liquid on him. Ryuku dropped the bucket, staring blankly at the puddle of water. The janitors should appreciate the work she left for them every now and then. She looked over her drenched appearance in the mirror. After grabbing a towel from her bag, she quickly dried herself off before slipping into her waitress outfit. Unenthusiastically, she fixed her hair up to the best of her abilities from the lack of a comb. Outside the boy's bathroom, she could her faint voices. She dismissed the noises. They probably weren't anyone important.

Once she was finished, Ryuku gathered her belongings, silently looked over herself once more in the mirror, and then kicked the bathroom door open. She darted down the hallway, heading for the staircase which would lead her downstairs. It wasn't long before she was on the bottom floor, she'd be out of this hellhole in no time. Without paying much attention to her surroundings, Ryuku found herself colliding onto a rather sturdy chest. Under her breath, she grumbled out a brief apology, before walking around the person and continued on her way.

"Ryoko?"

Ryuku's strides stopped. "… Ayano?" she glanced over her shoulder to find Ayano wasn't alone. Her gaze shifted over to the chest she had bumped into. There wasn't any time to place a name to go along with the boy's face, because Ayano tackled her with questions of concern.

"Are you alright? You look so much better! I'm so glad! But I'm so sorry about everything! I'm such a horrible friend. I didn't mean to be such a bad hostess when you came over! I'm not used to having company other. Did you get to your house alright when you left? Well, of course you did, otherwise why would you be here? Wait. What are _you_ doing here?"

Ryuku slowly backed away from the girl. "I was…" once again, her attention strayed over to the boy. Compared to her girl form, the nameless boy looked like a giant. Then again, _everyone_ towered over her. Even Ayano was at least an inch taller than her. Ryuku refrained herself from standing on her tiptoes. It wouldn't solve any of self-consciousness towards her height. Besides, she was much taller in her normal form. There wasn't any need to be concerned over such a trivial thing. Instead, Ryuku settled with straightening her posture. "Looking for my brother."

Ayano didn't look happy with her answer. "After everything he did to you? I'm surprised he hasn't been kicked out of the house yet," she placed her hands onto Ryuku's shoulders, giving them a comforting squeeze. "Do you need a place to stay?"

Frowning, Ryuku shrugged Ayano's hands off of her. "This whole thing has been a misunderstanding."

"You don't have to cover for him," Ayano said. "You've been covering for him all this time haven't you?"

Ryuku glared at her. "You don't get it!"

Ayano was taken aback by her outburst. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

The boy, who had been quiet his whole time, put his hand over Ayano's shoulder. "Don't you think you should introduce me to your little… friend?"

"How rude of me," Ayano smiled shyly. "Togo this is Ryoko. Ryoko this is Togo. He's my new partner in homeroom."

Ryuku suppressed a shudder. Ayano may not have noticed but her so-called partner had been checking 'Ryoko' out the whole time. She forced a small smile on her lips, deciding to play the 'nice guy' – or girl in this case – and play along with the two. "Nice to meet you."

Togo returned the smile. "The pleasure is all mine."

Subconsciously, Ayano leaned onto the boy next to her. "We were just about to leave," Ayano said. "Do you want to come with us?"

Ryuku spared a short glance over at Togo. She hadn't even met the guy for five minutes and she already didn't like him. Something seemed _off_. "No thanks." Under her breath, she added. "I've got better things to do."

"That's right. You need to find your brother," Ayano frowned from the thought of the redhead being around his poor defenseless sister. Ryoko wouldn't be safe around him. No one could be safe around someone like that. She shook her head, mentally scolding herself for thinking such things. If she kept this up, she'd be just like everyone else at the school. "Are you sure you don't want to tag along?" she urged. "I'm sure Togo wouldn't mind a quick stop at the Cat Café."

"That's why you look so familiar! Guess the outfit should've tipped me off," Togo laughed. "Me and a couple of my friends eat there all the time. We're big fans. Definitely one of my favorites places to eat in Nerima."

"Oh, we appreciate the support," Ryuku replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thanks for the offer, Ayano, but I should really get going."

"Alright," Ayano's smile drooped slightly. "It was nice seeing you again. I'm so glad that you're alright. Maybe… if you're not too busy I could give you a call?"

Ryuku grunted. "It depends on how busy I am."

When she left the two, she nearly gagged when she heard Togo's departing message. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ryoko!"

**X**

Was it wrong?

Was it wrong to find something in common with another person? Togo had lost his mother two years ago.

How long had it been since her mother had died? Fifteen years.

The only mementos left from her mother were pictures and homemade videos filmed by her father and relatives. She'd never find out what it was like to have a mother. There was no one she could lovingly call mom or mommy. Her father had been a wreck ever since his wife's death. Ayano wasn't sure if he blamed her for it. Naori did. Her sister had the right to be angry, since it had been Ayano's fault. She had murdered her own mother when she was born. Something as horrible as that happened to the lovely, beautiful woman she had seen in family photographs. There were short messages written on back of every photo Ayano looked over. Each message signed with the name Hiromi Makanai. Sometimes when she was cooking she could feel someone watching over her. Ayano liked to believe it was her mother, who had not only left her with her cooking talent but her love as well.

Togo had his arms crossed behind his head, his hands grasping onto the handle of his schoolbag behind his back. "Man, what a day! So glad it's finally over!"

"Are you alright?"

He raised his eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, during lunch…" she kicked at a pebble on the ground.

"I didn't mean to bore you with problems going on at home. That wasn't exactly my idea of a fun lunch," Togo said. "I'm sorry about the guys, too. They really don't know how to act around girls they aren't interested in boning, uh, I mean, aren't interested in."

Ayano was quick to say. "You didn't bore me."

"You don't have to lie," he quipped. "I try not to talk about myself much. My life's not very interesting."

"It… It must've been hard on you when your mother died."

"We," Togo paused to reflect. "Me and my old man didn't really take it well. My dad hasn't been able to cope. He turned to alcohol instead."

"I'm sure she was a wonderful person."

"She was. She was amazing."

"I," she sniffled. Even after all these years and it was still difficult to talk about. Ayano took a deep breath to calm herself down before she continued. "I never had the chance to meet mine."

"You mean, she –"

"There were complications during my birth."

"That's, uh, well, that's," Togo groaned. "Well, don't I feel like a jerk. Here I am moping about my mom when you haven't – jeez, I'm sorry, Ayano. I didn't mean to be such a jerk."

"N-no! Please don't feel bad! I just… I haven't been able to talk to anyone about this." Mentally, she added. "I don't know who I _can_ talk to."

"Go ahead then," she stared at him in confusion. "Say all you've got on your mind. I've got time."

Ayano's confusion turned into shock. No one had ever told her those words before. She sniffed. "A-alright, if you don't mind."

"Why would I mind?"

**X**

"I'll be right back, Ayano," Today Togo had suggested they eat lunch again, which Ayano was more than happy to accept. Except this time things were going to be different. The partners would be eating lunch with each other. There wouldn't be any of Togo's _interesting_ friends. No revolting scents of cigarettes and other unsettling smells. It would be the two of them enjoying each other's company. They'd leave to find a spot to eat once Togo finished something first. "Just wait right here, okay?"

Ayano returned Togo's wave as he walked down the hallway. She couldn't wipe the grin off her face or ignore the excitement bubbling inside her chest. This was going to be exciting. She couldn't wait for them to get settled and to talk and talk until the end of lunch came around. Yesterday they had talked for hours. Ayano hadn't even felt guilty when she arrived home late. Her father had given her a disapproving stare, but it didn't last long and he kept silent even when his dinner was finally served. She had such a good time with Togo that she hadn't even thought of contacting Ryoko. Ayano fiddled with her schoolbag. She had prepared Togo a bento. Hopefully, all of her father's favorites would suit Togo's tastes. She was nervous. What if he didn't like her cooking? If there was one thing Ryuku liked about her it was her cooking. He never once complained with what she fed him.

"Togo's so much simpler and nicer than Ryuku," Ayano thought. "Why can't everyone be like you, Togo?"

"Well, isn't that cute?"

Ayano looked up into a pair of dark blue eyes. She shivered from the intense gaze. "R-Ryuku," she swallowed. "What are you doing?"

"Looks like you've got yourself another friend. Or is this how you get people to like you?"

"Can you please leave? I don't want to attract any attention."

Ryuku glanced around the hallway. "Why would that be a problem?" he gestured around them. "You never cared about what people thought of you before. What made you change your mind all of a sudden?"

"I don't want to talk to you."

"We're not talking. People who are friends talk. We aren't friends remember?"

"… Because you don't need friends."

Ryuku nodded. "Exactly. I'm glad we can finally agree on something."

"Then why are you here? Why are you bothering me?"

An offended snort left Ryuku's lips. "I'm bothering you?" he chuckled lowly, despite not being amused. "I could've sworn it was the other way around."

Ayano clutched at her bag. "I'm sorry for how I acted before."

He shrugged off her apology. "Whatever," he said. "I don't care what you do."

The redhead made a move to leave, but Ayano grabbed hold of his jacket sleeve. Before Ryuku left, she needed to clarify something first. "Wait."

Ryuku brushed her hand off of him. "_What?_"

"Ryoko was looking for you yesterday."

"She said some pretty strange things to me," Ryuku told her. He narrowed his eyes at her, before he asked. "Do you think I beat her or something?"

Ayano wished she could somehow hide from his cold stare. She settled with covering most of her face with her hair, effectively blocking her from Ryuku. It probably wasn't the best look on her, but it worked as a makeshift shield of some sort. "… She doesn't deserve that. No one does."

"You don't know anything about me," he hissed through clenched teeth. "People need to stop assuming that they know every damn thing I do!"

"You're right. I don't know you," Ayano took a deep breath. "I don't want to know you."

Ryuku laughed. "That's great! I'm glad to hear that."

"Ayano!" Ayano stiffened from Togo's voice. She should've told him to leave but instead she kept silent. Even if she had said something he was already jogging towards them. Immediately, Togo noticed Ryuku. It was hard to ignore Ryuku's presence. "Uh, hey, Saotome," he greeted the redhead meekly. Of course, Togo would be afraid of him in his regular form. Guess he didn't feel like checking out _Bloody Knife Saotome_. "What's going on here?"

"I-It's nothing," Ayano giggled uneasily. "Ryuku just…"

"I needed to get something," Ryuku answered for her. Without warning, he snatched Ayano's school bag from her hands. Ayano protested, reaching forward to retrieve her bag, but Ryuku was too quick. He grabbed the bento from inside and dropped her bag onto the floor. "Thanks," he popped the top off and proceeded to dump everything onto the floor. Ryuku shot her a content smile, before he stomped onto the food. Rice, soft vegetables, bite-sized sausages, and cooked pork were smeared onto the tiles.

Ayano gawked at Ryuku. "R-Ryuku, I –"

Ryuku's stare shushed her. He directed his smile at Togo. "Her cooking probably would've killed you. Be happy that I saved your life."

**X**

He hadn't bothered to check the time.

All he needed to know that it dark enough that he could slip away without anyone noticing a thing. He managed to cram all the essentials he'd need in an empty backpack that he had found buried in his closet. Ryou's name was patched onto the front flap of the traveling bag. His friend must've left it behind when he occasionally spent the night at the dojo. Guess it hadn't occurred to either of the friends to find it or return it. It didn't matter. At the moment, Ryuku needed the backpack more than Ryou. Besides, Ryou had plenty of traveling gear, he had to. Although it was difficult to close the bag, Ryuku forced it closed. He heaved the backpack onto his back, pulling hard at the straps to keep himself balanced. He staggered several steps forwards from the heavy weight added onto his upper body.

Ryuku could've slipped away through the window, but it would've proven to be difficult with the extra weight. Ryuku opened the door, creeping out slowly into the dimly lit corridor, and headed for the staircase. Even without knowing the exact time, Ryuku knew his mother was already fast asleep. No need to worry about anyone stopping him. There was something rustling about inside his backpack but Ryuku remained ignorant of this as he descended down the staircase.

He needed to get away from everyone and everything. He _needed_ to get away from Nerima.

After slipping on his sneakers, Ryuku opened the front door, and prepared himself for a long time away from home.


	19. Ch 14: Genma's Training Guide: P1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

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**Chapter 14:** Grandpa Genma's Incredible Training Guide: Part 1

"Where am I going?"

A crushed can of juice sat in the middle of the streets. The boy nudged it forward with the tip of his sneaker, while he silently contemplated the question. Sometimes, Ryuku wished he could borrow his friend's lousy sense of direction and get lost himself. Ryou never decided to willingly lead himself far, far away from Nerima. But the lost boy managed to find himself in incredible places filled with amazing things only he would be able to witness. When Ryou find himself back home, his backpack would be crammed with souvenirs. Each item would have an amazing story tacked along to it.

"Where am I going?" he repeated.

Grandma Nodoka's place seemed like a good choice to stay for a few days, until he could think of a proper place to go. But there were already problems with that decision. Nodoka wouldn't approve of her grandson skipping school, or that he had left home without telling his mother anything.

"I don't have anywhere to go," Ryuku muttered. "I'm stuck here," He stopped to look all around him. "In shitty Nerima…"

His eyes went back onto the can on the ground. He gritted his teeth together, before he swung his foot forward and sent the can flying. "No way!" he walked forward, shaking away the pesky thoughts from his head. "I'm not spending another day here. Anywhere is better than here. I'll stay in the wilderness if I have to."

**X**

Even without a destination in mind, it wasn't very wise to leave without a few medical supplies or a kettle. Leaving Nerima was easy, but leaving a Jusenkyo curse behind wouldn't be as simple. Ryuku circled around to the back of the clinic. The first attempt at jumping over the fence proved to be difficult, due to the added weight on his back. Shrugging off the backpack, Ryuku heaved the bag over, and then leapt over to the other side. Before darting for the backdoor, Ryuku slipped the bag back on. A pang of guilt latched onto him, when he found the spare key cleverly located in a fake potted plant. Letting out a deep breath, he stepped inside the dark building. His first stop was at the supply closet. Ryuku flickered on the light bulb hanging overhead. There were all sorts of items stocked neatly on the wooden shelves. He picked up a bottle of clear liquid to skim over the label.

Ryuku blinked, before he slowly placed the bottle back where he had gotten it. A first aid kit was all he really needed. With the kit under his arm, Ryuku shut the closet door and headed down the hallway. All there was left to do was to take the kettle. When he finally reached the lobby, a loud sound suddenly broke the tense silence. A dull thud echoed in the room, when Ryuku dropped the kit onto the floor, having been startled by the noise. Cursing under his breath, Ryuku snatched the kit and hoped whoever or whatever had created the sound hadn't noticed him. Ryuku exited the hallway, cautiously glancing around for the other intruder. The noises continued to ricochet in the lobby, acting as a noisy alarm. It wasn't long before Ryuku recognized the sounds as loud snores. Ryuku stood in front of the desk where Kasumi normally sat with a cheerful smile on her face.

Instead of being greeted with his aunt's happy welcome, the teen was greeted with another deafening snore and then a grunt. Ryuku didn't bother to wake them up, since it would only cause unnecessary problems for the redhead. He reached around the desk to grab the kettle, only to be stopped when his hand wrapped around the handle. A flashlight was thrust in front of Ryuku's face. Wincing from the harsh light, Ryuku shielded himself with his arm.

A gruff voice boomed: "What're doing here at this hour, boy?"

"Shouldn't I be asking _you_ the same thing," Ryuku moved the flashlight away from him. "Why aren't you with grandma?"

Genma frowned. "Why aren't you at home?"

Ryuku simply snatched the kettle and stepped away from Genma. "I asked you a question first."

The frown on his face deepened. "I'm your elder."

"What's your point?"

"Look how you were raised, so disrespectful," Genma sighed, shaking his head. "Well, if you _must_ know, your uncle hired me for the night watch."

A snort came from the teen. "Night watch?" he echoed snottily. "Why would a public clinic need that? It's pointless."

His grandpa returned Ryuku's sentiment with a snort of his own. "It's a good thing I was here, too! You kids are always breaking in and taking things that don't belong to you." To prove a point, he shone the light onto what Ryuku held in his hands.

Ryuku raised his eyebrow at the older man. "What's the real reason you're here?"

The smug look on Genma's face faltered somewhat. A sheepish smile played over his lips. "… I may have fallen asleep."

"That sounds about right."

Genma straightened himself in the chair. He shifted the flashlight onto Ryuku's backpack. "What's with all that gear?" he asked suspiciously. "Are you going somewhere?"

Ryuku's eyes glanced off to the side. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I can see through your lies!" Genma cried dramatically. He wheeled the chair away from the desk to properly seize his grandson by the arm. "Where are you going?" He looked over Ryuku's belongings briefly. The traveling backpack which was most likely crammed with everything Ryuku could squeeze into it. A first aid kit needed in case of injuries. The kettle needed for when a storm started. Genma's eyes widened, while a grin lit up his entire face. "My boy," he gasped excitedly. "Can it be you've decided to go on a training trip?"

"No!" Ryuku vehemently denied. "I was just –"

"Aren't you a bit too old to be running away from home?" Genma finished with an amused chuckle.

"I wasn't running away!" Ryuku shouted. "I was just… taking a little… time away from home."

Genma was giddy with laughter. "You can't fool this old man!" he grinned. "If you're planning a training trip, you need a teacher to tag along. You won't learn a thing without someone's guidance! Luckily for you I'm willing to take the time to teach my grandson the way of the Saotome arts."

"It's not a training trip!"

"There's no need to worry about me. I've always come prepared," he brought out a traveling backpack of his own. The puzzled expression on Ryuku's face was easily solved when Genma explained to the redhead. "This is in case grandma decides to kick grandpa out of the house, again. I'm a precautious man."

"Jeez, how thick is your head?" Ryuku spat. "I'm not going on a stupid training trip. If I was going to go on one, there's no way I'd go with _you_."

Genma's grin faltered. "You sure know how to break an old man's fragile heart," he sniffled. "How can you say such a thing like that to your grandpa? What kind of grandson are you? The next day you could wake up and find me dead. Do you really want your lasts words to be so cruel?"

Ryuku crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed with his grandpa's umpteenth attempt for him to feel guilty. "Spare me the act," he said. "You and I both know what happened the last time you brought me along for a training trip," he shuddered from the memory. "Or should I say that trip to the zoo?"

"We did go to the zoo!" Genma was quick to defend himself. "Did you forget? I let you pet that… panda."

A short bark of laughter came from Ryuku. He narrowed his eyes at his grandpa. "_Panda_? That panda was you, stupid! You let me pet you!" he hissed. "If there were any animals there it was only because you," he snapped his mouth closed and shook his head. If he kept dwelling on this, he was going to head to a very bad place. Ryuku let his eyes close. Now wasn't the time to be reminiscing about a scarring childhood incident. "… Forget it. Just forget it. You're going to go crawl over to grandma. I don't care if she's mad at you, go back home and beg to be let in. _I'm_ going to leave. If anyone asks, you didn't see me. Got it?"

His grandpa heaved a defeated sigh. "Alright, boy, if that's what you want."

"It is."

"Go on then," Genma murmured lowly. "I won't stop you from leaving the clinic."

Without bothering to spare a short goodbye, Ryuku turned and walked down the hallway for the backdoor. When he took his first step outside, Ryuku found himself being scooped from the ground. He kicked at the air, struggling to free himself from his grandpa's hold, and was hauled over Genma's back. Genma held the thrashing teen in place. He closed the backdoor, fished in the pockets of his gi for his keys, and locked up the clinic. After adjusting his backpack on his right shoulder, he didn't flinch when Ryuku elbowed him in the face in an attempt for freedom. His grandson would appreciate his efforts later, once they found a suitable location for their training trip. A trip was something they desperately both needed. Ryuku would never admit it to anyone, not even himself, but his stubborn grandson did enjoy learning the _Anything Goes Martial Arts_. Even if he did quit at a young age, the heir would eventually gain his footing back and be at the his peak. All Ryuku needed was a little nudge forward for assistance.

"What the hell are you doing!" Ryuku screamed. Perhaps he needed several nudges forward. "Of course, you were lying through your teeth! How could I be so stupid?"

Despite the extra added weight on his back, Genma flawlessly leaped over the fence. "I never lied to you," he informed the fuming teen. "All I said was I wouldn't stop you from leaving the clinic. Our agreement wasn't to stop you from leaving Nerima!"

**X**

Fortunately, given the time of day, there was no one else out on the streets aside from a pair of two loud bickering men. Fighting off an annoyed and humiliated blush was a redheaded male who was the most relived given the situation. Not even Ryuku's flawed reputation could save him from how ridiculous he must've looked from being manhandled by another man. The other man who happened to be his very own grandpa! Talk about taking a stab at another person's manhood. Ryuku pounded his fists onto Genma's back as hard as he could. Genma simply rolled his head from side to side, slightly easing the stiffness that had settled on his upper back and shoulders.

"Could you aim a little higher?" Genma asked. "There's an itch you keep missing."

Ryuku smacked the back of Genma's head. "This is embarrassing!" he growled. "Put me down, grandpa!"

"It pains me to treat a boy like this. But you left me with no choice, Ryuku! I'm embarrassed, too!"

The redhead attempted to strangle the other man. "I can walk!" The attempt was unsuccessful.

"If I put you down you'll run off."

"I'm not going on a stupid training trip!"

Without warning, the pair was showered with numbingly cold water. Sprinklers in the surrounding neighborhood around them had turned on, during the middle of their conversation, transforming the two into a panda and a young girl. Disgruntled and now soaking wet, Ryuku beat her hands down onto the panda holding her, hoping the wet distraction would be enough to allow her to finally slip away.

Ryuku sputtered water onto the animal's face. "Dumb panda!" she shrieked. "Let me go!"

As a response, a grunt came from the black and white animal.

The boy-turned-girl continued to violently squirm in Genma's grasps. Due to the uncontrollable movement with the added element of water, making clothes a tad slippery, Ryuku slipped downwards on the panda's fur. Genma was quick to move his paws to quickly adjust Ryuku's body; however, when his paw landed onto what he assumed was Ryuku's lower back – a shrill disgusted protest erupted from his grandson, or in more appropriate terms given certain circumstances, his grand_daughter_.

If Genma had been a human, he would have surely shouted some sort of odd worded apology. Either that or blame his actions on another. The latter was the most suitable choice.

"My grandpa," Ryuku clenched her teeth together. "My _grandpa_ just freaking felt me up!"

She took advantage of Genma's shock to slip away from the panda's grasp. When she landed onto the ground, she knocked Genma down with a swift low kick. The kick sent both of their belongings in the air. Ryuku grabbed her bag while it was still in midair; a surprised huff escaped her lips from the unexpected amount of weight she now held. After struggling to heave the backpack onto her back, Ryuku resorted to dragging the bag behind her as she ran away from her grandpa while he was still down.

Unfortunately, Ryuku didn't make it very far, before a blow to the back of her head knocked her out cold.

With a tired snort, Genma dropped the stop sign he had ripped from the sidewalk. He turned his head from side to side, checking for any sign of people around. Noting that he was in the clear, he hoisted Ryuku back over his shoulder, and trudged forward to head for the perfect training spot.

**X**

The high-pitched screech of a kettle whistling brought Ryuku away from her from her dreams. Groggily, she opened her eyes, only to let out a pained groan a second later. Her hand reached for head, fingers curled around the cool wet towel placed over her forehead. It was never fun waking up with a horrible headache. Ryuku lifted the towel away from her face, wincing from how the back of her head throbbed. She slowly pulled herself into an upright sitting position. Her grandpa was a few feet away from her, poking at a small fire with a stick.

Genma greeted Ryuku with a smile. "Good morning, my boy! I thought you'd be out all day!"

A cold glare was sent towards the older man. "You… you _hit_ me!"

"Shouldn't you have gotten used to being hit a long time ago?" Genma clucked his tongue. "You are a martial artist."

"You hit me with a stop sign," Ryuku grumbled under her breath. She turned her glare away from her grandpa. Instead, she focused her attention onto the unfamiliar scenery around them. From the amount of fresh vegetation, the amount of space, and the calming sounds of _silence_, Ryuku was able to come to a simple conclusion: they were in the middle of a forest. "… Where'd you kidnap me anyway?"

"Kidnap?" Genma actually had the nerve to sound offended. "I would never kidnap my own grandson."

"I'm sure you wouldn't," Ryuku bit out. "Except that you just did, you dummy!"

Genma waved her exclamation with a little wave of his hand. There was no real need to focus on such trivial matters. If Ryuku was furious with him, all she needed to do was channel her frustrations through the arts. "This is the perfect location," he beamed proudly. "We can train to our hearts content. We're far away enough from everyone to be able to focus on the only one important thing: _Anything Goes Martial Arts_. There's no need to thank me, boy, I already know you're grateful for having such a wonderful grandpa."

Ryuku threw the damp towel onto Genma's face. "How many times do I have to repeat myself? I wasn't planning on training."

"You may say that but I know better."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The towel dropped onto Genma's lap. He picked up the towel using his thumb and forefinger and tossed it into the fire. "Deny the arts for as long as you like," Genma told her. "But you'll always be a martial artist at heart. You can't throw something away like that. You can't ignore your true calling."

"I can and I will," was Ryuku's brisk reply. She shakily got onto her feet, still feeling slightly woozy from the hit to the back of her head. "I'm leaving. Where's my stuff?"

Genma's lips pulled down into a scowl. "Why don't we make a deal?"

"No."

"We'll have a little sparring match," Genma proposed. "If you win I'll let you go. But if _I _win you stay and we'll have our training trip."

Ryuku scoffed. "It won't be a fair match to begin with."

"Why does that matter? Martial arts, is in your blood. It's who you are, boy!"

"Do I look like an idiot?" Ryuku retorted. "You have some sort of dirty trick up your sleeve."

"Who? Me?" Genma pointed his finger at himself, feigning innocence. It wasn't a very fitting expression on a man of Genma's size. "I'd never do something like that. Why must you keep throwing such hurtful things towards your grandpa? Did I do something to deserve such horrible treatment?"

Ryuku was fed up with her grandpa's games. She turned away from the fire, the kettle, the sleep bags, and looked out over the scenery the forest provided. "If you won't tell me where my things are, I'll just go look for everything myself."

"Don't bother."

"… Why?"

"I tossed everything away."

Enraged by her grandpa's words, Ryuku stomped over to the much larger man and glared up at him. "Why would you do that?" she snapped. "What made you think that was a good idea!"

Genma shrugged. "Now you have a reason to stay."

If she threw a punch, she'd be doing what he wanted. It would have implied that she wanted to go on a training trip. It would prove that Genma was right, which was the last thing Ryuku wanted to prove. "Now I _have_ to stay!" she yelled. "I can't believe you'd do that to my things! You're so stupid!"

"Relax!" Genma placed his hand over Ryuku's shoulder, smiling down the distressed girl. "I have more than plenty for the both of us."

"What am I supposed to wear?" Ryuku yanked at the front of her damp shirt. She raked her fingers through her hair, frustrated by everything. This was supposed to be a simple trip away from home. It wasn't supposed to be anything more than that. "I can't wear the same thing every day!"

"I'm sure I have something in my bag that'll fit you," he cocked his head to the side, gesturing to the kettle hanging above the fire. "Once you've changed back to a boy, of course."

**X**

After changing back into his normal form, Ryuku harshly snatched the offered towel from Genma, and began to dry himself off. While drying off his hair, a bundle of clothing was thrown at his face. Ryuku caught the clothes with his free hand, as he continued to dry himself off; he idly glanced over each article of clothing. A nasty scowl marred the redhead's features. His grandpa had to be pulling some sort of twisted joke. Did he really think he'd willingly wear this? Standing with his arms across his chest, Genma raised an expectant eyebrow at the boy, impatiently waiting for him to change into the clothes he had given him.

"Are you kidding me?" Ryuku held up the top. "Do you really expect me to wear this?"

Genma pursed his lips together. "Is now really the time to be picky?"

"Don't you have anything else?"

"I'm afraid those are the only things that fit you, my boy."

Ryuku's shoulders dropped. If he didn't slip these clothes on, he'd be stuck sitting around in his boxers. Heaving a loud sigh, Ryuku pulled on the wrinkled red Chinese top. He had thought the top would be too tight for him, but surprisingly it was a perfect fit. It was sleeveless, leaving his lightly tanned arms exposed. His father probably had better muscles to show off on his biceps. Next, Ryuku yanked up the baggy black slacks. His father had longer legs than him. Ryuku pressed his hand onto his lower chest, fingertips lightly brushing over the material of the top. Now, all he was missing was a pigtail. Once he had that his costume would be complete.

"Why do you even have this with your things?" Ryuku couldn't help but ask. "How long have you had this bag?"

The corner of Genma's lips turned into a light smirk. "For awhile, I suppose," he told the redhead. "But now that you're ready, why don't we have a short training session?"

"You're kidding me."

"Now is not the time for jokes!" Genma formed into a fighting stance. "Let your grandpa Genma show you his incredible training guide!"

**X**

Usually when Ryuku came home, the first thing he would notice was her sitting on his bed. He'd greet her warmly, taking a seat next to her, as he pulled her onto his lap and stroked her fur. But today it was different. Ryuku appeared to be too engrossed with his thoughts to even notice her presence. He paced around his room, muttering things under his breath. Finally, he went over to his closet, tossing things aside while he searched for something. He took out a large backpack. She recognized the item immediately, since it belonged to Ryou. Once Ryuku was cramming things inside, she decided to jump from where she sat and slip inside. Since he was occupied with other matters, he wouldn't notice her.

She wasn't sure what compelled her to do it.

No one had manipulated with her decisions, she could've simply watched him leave and returned home, the only one to know that he had left. But before she could even rethink her actions, Ryuku closed the bag. It wasn't exactly pleasant to be crammed into such a tight space, but she was an Amazon and there were worst things to do with. She hadn't expected a tough ride. Suddenly, Ryuku's voice vanished and it was eerily silent. It was a terrible struggle but she managed to escape the confinements of the bag. She stretched out, clawing at the grass beneath her, and mewed in confusion. Ryuku was nowhere in sight. She had heard another voice. It had belonged to Ryuku's grandfather.

She was in the middle of a forest; Ryuku's backpack lay before a giant tree.

Lotion left to find where the redhead could've run off to. It wasn't long before she stumbled upon an empty camping spot. The first thing her eyes caught sight of was the kettle hanging above a fire. That solved one of her problems.

The only thing she needed now was to find some clothes.

**X**

Something was poking his cheek.

Mumbling something intangible under his breath, Ryuku turned away from whatever or whoever was touching him. But the action proved to be useless, since the poking only became more insistent and annoying. With a strained groan, Ryuku batted away the offender, and opened his eyes. His vision was slightly blurred as he blankly gazed up at his grandpa, who loomed over him with a stick held in his hand. Ryuku wiped at his eyes with the heel of his hand, letting out a tired sigh. Genma didn't look very happy. Not that Ryuku cared. At the moment, the only thing the redhead was concerned with was continuing his short-lived nap. Despite the birds chirping, the sunlight cheerfully lighting up the forests, and a natural beauty that nature could only provide – Ryuku was exhausted.

"What's up?" Ryuku slurred out, while he forced himself into a upright position.

Genma shook his head. "Don't tell me you already forgot," he said. "We were in the middle of sparring."

"You mean, _you_ were," he corrected firmly. "All I wanted to do was leave. Not be forced into a stupid training trip."

"We were in the middle of sparring," Genma repeated gruffly. His tone of voice was tight and displeased. "And then you, my boy, decided to _faint_."

Ryuku scoffed. "I fainted?" he laughed, although his voice was void of amusement. "I wouldn't pass out. You're just trying to get me riled up!"

His grandpa dropped the stick onto the grass. He rested his forehead against his palm, slowly brushing his fingers over the wrinkles residing on the tan patch of skin. "You fainted. Like a little girl. My grandson might as well be a girl. Fainting before your grandpa even landed a punch." Genma crouched in front of Ryuku. Using a rough grip, he grabbed onto Ryuku's cheeks, forcing the teen to look at him right in the eyes. Before Ryuku could shove his grandpa off, Genma released his hold on him. Instead, he patted down Ryuku's body. "Tell me something."

"Quit touching me, you freak."

"When was the last time you ate?" he stopped briefly to swiftly reword his inquiry. "When was the last time you had an actual meal?"

Ryuku removed his grandpa's hands off of him. "Why does that matter?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed things," Genma told Ryuku matter-of-factly. "I know you frequently skip meals."

"… So what if I do?"

"That's not healthy."

"Are you really going to lecture me about being healthy?" Ryuku asked. He waved his hand at Genma's body his gaze lined with the other man's rather sizable gut, which had gotten quite larger over the last several years. "Have you looked at _yourself_ lately?"

Genma scowled. "Let's head back. I think it's about time we break for lunch."

"I'm not hungry."

"Now is not the time to be picky, boy."

"I'm not hungry!"

Genma pulled Ryuku onto his feet. "You're eating, boy. You can't expect to get any better if you don't care of your body. A martial artist's body is the most important thing. It's their weapon, their –"

"I don't care! I didn't want to go on this stupid trip anyway!" Ryuku snapped. He shoved his grandpa away from him. "You can go eat if you're so hungry but I'm not."

**X**

"What are you doing here?"

Lotion stiffened. She hadn't expected Ryuku to be able to sense her presence so quickly. There was no point on hiding anymore. She had been planning to greet Ryuku with a welcoming hug from behind. It was something her mother had done many times, during her chase after her supposed airen. But where did all those hugs, all that clinginess, and desperation get her mother – completely nowhere. All of it was a waste of time. Lotion chided herself for letting herself get caught up with her emotions. She could focus on her own problems at another time. For now, it was time to put on the charade of the loving Amazon. Taking a deep breath, Lotion merrily skipped over to the redhead. She stood behind him, taking her time to note that he had been gazing at the scenery that was provided on top of a sizable hill. Lotion dropped onto her knees to embrace him from behind. She waited for Ryuku to violently push her away, while demanding that she leave him alone. But none of it came. The only thing she was given was complete silence.

Ryuku leaned forward when Lotion brushed her chest onto his back. He couldn't tell if the Amazon had done it on purpose, but knowing her, it was a very likely choice. "Aren't you going to answer my question? I don't think grandpa would appreciate you being here."

"Aren't you happy to see me, Ryuku?" Lotion perfected her whining voice; she managed to keep herself from sounding too irritable. If you didn't sound pleasing to the ear, then there was no way you would earn yourself a husband – according to her mother. "Well," she sang, while pressing forward against Ryuku's body. "Your grandpa wasn't pleased to find me interruption time between men, which is understandable. I wouldn't like it either if someone interrupted my _bath_ time. But if someone I –"

"Don't even think of finishing that sentence."

"Oh, alright," Lotion huffed with a pout. "Anyway, we talked for a little bit… your grandpa was kind of grumpy, but I made him smile! That nice old man decided he'd let me tag along. Isn't that great, Ryuku? Now we can spend all the time we want together! It'll be just like a date. Except a date would be weird with your grandpa there, but I'm sure he'd understand if we wanted some alone time."

"That doesn't sound like grandpa," Ryuku muttered. "Why would he want a girl around? Unless, he –"

"Silly Ryu," she lovingly petted his hair. "Everyone knows that the key to a man's heart is through his stomach!"

"Of course," the redhead snorted. "Give the old man some food and he'll do whatever you want. That's my grandpa Genma, everybody."

Lotion rested her chin onto Ryuku's shoulder. "Please don't be upset," she cooed. "He only agreed to let me stay if I cooked, which I'm more than happy to do for my husband. Maybe by the time it's our wedding, I'll know what to make for our honeymoon!"

As a suitable response, Ryuku simply grunted.

"I can cook other things," she assured him sweetly, while she rubbed her index finger over his bicep in small circles. "Of course, you wouldn't want to eat ramen. You're always around noodles at the café. I'd be sick of them, too."

Again, Lotion was given another grunt. It was like she was interacting with a Neanderthal.

"What are you in the mood for? I'll whip something up just for you," Lotion hesitated before she pecked him on the cheek. "Think of it as a special treat from your very loving and soon-to-be wife!" she squealed and then giddily added. "Doesn't that sound exciting?"

"… I'm not hungry."

Lotion's façade faltered slightly. "When was the last time you ate?"

Finally, Ryuku distanced himself away from the grabby Amazon. "Why is everyone asking me that?"

"You're not," Lotion paused, struggling to finish the rest of her sentence for fear that it could be true. "Starving yourself, are you?"

"Do I look like I'm starving?"

Lotion shifted over to Ryuku's side. One of her hands held onto his left bicep, while the other was placed onto his upper chest. She listened to his heartbeat thudding against her palm. "I've never actually seen you eat anything," she murmured softly. "I'd catch you sneaking a few bites, but you never _finish_ anything."

Ryuku wrapped his hand around her wrist; he lifted her hand off of his chest. "You watch me?"

"I'm only looking after my husband."

"… Quit it with that husband stuff."

"I wish I could," she thought sadly. Lotion squeezed his bicep, hoping he'd realize the squeeze was done out of concern rather than faux affections. "I'll make you something."

"Why waste your time?" Ryuku questioned snidely. "You know I won't eat whatever you waste your time making me."

A displeased frown played across her lips. "You can't ignore your stomach, Ryuku. Saying you're not hungry doesn't mean your stomach isn't."

The redhead scooted away from the Amazon. "When I say I'm not hungry, I mean it! How many times do I have to repeat myself for you, or _anyone_, to finally get it? Is anyone listening to a single word I'm saying?"

"You need to eat."

"I don't care if I need to," he hissed. "That doesn't mean I have to."

"The only thing you're doing is making your body weaker."

"Who cares? If I cared I'd be shoveling my face in like my grandpa. I'd be as fat as my grandpa."

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Why are you being so damn annoying?"

"Ryuku, I –"

"Why does everyone think they know what's best for me? Everyone needs to mind their own business!" Ryuku snarled in a fury. His hands clenched into shaking fists and he harshly punched at the grass. "Did I ask to be like this? Do people think I enjoy all this shit I have to deal with every day? A person can't just barge into someone's life and then be the one to shut me — _them _out. If anyone deserves to shut anyone out, it's me. I have that stupid right."

"What are you talking about?"

Ryuku curled up into a ball. "Why do you care? I'm just your fiancée or husband or whatever. It's not like that actually means anything. I don't even know why you like me. Why does anyone like a shitty guy like me? Wait. No one _likes_ me, because I stab anyone who rubs me off the wrong way. Maybe that's why no one likes me, because I'm a rumored violent psychopath."

"Are you alright, Ryuku?" he was starting to sound exactly like how he did when influenced with the 'remorse tea' her mother had prepared for Ryuku.

"No, I'm not alright," Ryuku croaked out weakly. "I haven't been feeling like myself. Ever since we left that stupid illusion, I've felt like shit. I'm always so damn moody. Nothing I do makes me happy. No one around here makes me happy. Not even Misaki." He pressed his face onto his kneecaps, rocking himself back and forth. "What the hell is my problem?"

Lotion rubbed her hand on Ryuku's back. "Maybe some food will make you feel better."

"… I guess I could eat a little."

"Come on then," Lotion hopped onto her feet to take hold of Ryuku's wrists. She pulled him onto his feet, greeting Ryuku's lost expression with a warm smile. "Let's go back to your grandpa. He must be worried about you. I know I would be."

In the middle of Ryuku's nod, he couldn't help but notice Lotion's choice of attire. He pointed his finger at her accusingly. "Those are my clothes," he stated. "Why are you wearing my clothes, Lotion?"

Lotion's smile drooped somewhat. Coyly, she tugged at the hem of her shirt, while she rolled onto the balls of her feet. "You mean, these old things?" she asked, her tone teasing. "I've always had these sorts of clothes. Maybe we have the same sort of style."

"Do you really think I'm going to fall for something as stupid as that?"


	20. Ch 15: Genma's Training Guide: P2

******Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 15:** Grandpa Genma's Incredible Training Guide: Part 2

On the second day of Genma's training, Ryuku was woken up at approximately six o'clock by a bucket of ice cold water. Ryuku's bloodcurdling screeches echoed throughout the entire forest, starling birds from their nests and other wild animals from their slumber. Genma forced the soaked girl out of her sleeping bag, ignoring her grumpy and irritated protests as he dragged her by the wrist. He shoved her in front of the fire, shoveling the leftovers that Lotion had prepared for them the prior night into a bowl.

"I want to see this bowl wiped clean," Genma waved the ladle in front of Ryuku's face. "Do you hear me, boy?"

When Genma handed her a spoon, she roughly snatched it from him. It was hard to keep her glare centered on the older man, since she shivered from not only the cold water but the early morning temperature as well. "I h-heard you," she retorted dryly. She shoved a spoonful of the meal in her mouth. Once she chewed and swallowed, she muttered under her breath. "You s-s-stupid panda…"

"Hurry up! You'll take forever if you keep taking such girly bites! Shovel it all down!"

Ryuku ignored her grandpa's _encouraging_ outcries. She wanted to eat at her own pace, and if Genma was going to yell at her to eat faster, she'd eat even slower. Once the contents of the bowl were nearly empty, Genma quickly began to refill it. The food inside threatened to spill out from how much pooled inside. Ryuku stared down at the bowl, feeling slightly queasy.

"The bowl isn't wiped clean, Ryuku."

"I'm not going to eat all this," Ryuku told him. "I wasn't even that hungry in the first place!"

"Each bite builds up your strength. Keep eating."

Ryuku scowled. "I ate enough."

"You never eat enough," Genma said. He pointed the ladle at the neglected bowl on Ryuku's lap. "That bowl won't empty itself."

Tightening her grip around the flimsy utensil, Ryuku dipped the spoon into the stew and then promptly flung it at Genma's face – or at least she _would_ have made Genma wear the meal on his face, if she had something to back up her actions. Begrudging, she obediently followed with Genma's orders and continued to eat. For the second time around, Ryuku ate fast. Once she finished her last morsel, she proudly showed the bowl to her grandpa. She beamed with a smug grin, her tongue licking at the corner of her mouth to swipe away the remnants of the meal.

Genma returned the grin. "Good job," Ryuku's grin twitched when another slop of stew was dropped into the bowl. "Are you ready for round three?"

"Are you trying to make me vomit?" Ryuku hissed. "What kind of training is this anyway?"

"Don't question my methods! Grandpa knows what he's doing."

Ryuku groaned. Her stomach felt like it was about to burst. If she ate another bite, she wouldn't be surprised if she literally exploded. Maybe if she was lucky, all of the bits and pieces of her body would land all over her grandpa.

**X**

After receiving another painful punch to the gut, Ryuku turned away from his grandpa. He pressed his hands on his stomach, feeling nauseous ever since he finished his five course breakfast. With a strained moan, he lurched forward and retched all over the ground. Genma stood a few feet away from his grandson, watching him silently. In his head, he counted the seconds that went by, while Ryuku continued to regurgitate.

"Are you just about finished?"

Ryuku would've gladly sent a lengthy retort in his grandpa's direction if he wasn't currently occupied. Tears stung his eyes from the rancid aftertaste left in his mouth. The redhead wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his arm. While shakily moving towards Genma, he spat onto the ground and prepared himself for whatever his grandpa would throw at him. The queasy sensation that had settled in his stomach had loosened slightly, but if he had to take another short break to empty whatever was left in his stomach – he'd make sure to aim for his grandpa the next time.

Genma moved to reposition Ryuku into the correct fighting stance. "Tighten your fists," he told him. "Hold yourself up with pride. You're a Saotome, aren't you? Act like it, boy!"

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, grandpa…"

"Always be watching your opponent. Never be distracted," Genma lightly slapped Ryuku's cheeks. "Never _let_ yourself get distracted. The only things that matter in a fight are your opponent and yourself. Do you understand me?"

"Sure," Ryuku shrugged. "I understand you."

Genma stepped back several steps, creating a reasonable distance between them. "I'll move slowly," he told him. "Think of how to react to your opponent's actions. Think of what you could do to catch your challenger off guard. Don't let your mind be cluttered with thoughts, but don't think too little."

Ryuku didn't even bother to take in Genma's words. Everything he was spewing out of his mouth might as well be gibberish. How was he supposed to take any of what his grandpa was saying to heart? He was forced onto a training trip. Then the next day, he was woken up at a ridiculous hour, where his makeshift alarm was a bucket of freezing water. He was lucky he hadn't contracted hypothermia from his grandpa's stupidity. After sitting in damp clothes that were clinging onto his skin, he was forced to eat until he was about to pop. After being force fed, it was apparently time to train. Feeling sluggish from eating an ungodly amount of food, Ryuku was barely aware of Genma's movements. Being hit enough eventually caused him to see his food leave his body in reverse. Now Genma was giving him philosophical lessons in martial arts.

The unexpected punch Ryuku received to the side of his face had enough force to knock the redhead off of his feet. Ryuku blinked up at his grandpa, his vision slightly fuzzy, as he felt the bitter taste of blood settled at the back of his throat. Genma shook his head. He bent forward to offer his hand to his grandson, but Ryuku simply scoffed and slapped his hand away. Genma's lips curled into a disappointed frown, he took hold of Ryuku's top and began to pull him up. However, Ryuku shoved him away and let himself fall back onto the grass.

"You let yourself be distracted," Genma said. "Always listen to what I'm telling you, boy. Your teacher is telling you important things," he turned his frown into a tiny smile. Once again, he offered Ryuku assistance to help him up.

This time Ryuku didn't even bother to decline his grandpa's offer.

"It's alright, boy," he assured the redhead. "You can learn from your mistake. We have plenty of time."

Ryuku pressed his palm onto his aching cheek. He winced. There would be a sizable bruise on his cheek tomorrow.

"Get up, boy."

Finally, Ryuku muttered out a simple one-worded response: "No."

"… Get up," Ryuku didn't budge. He stayed where he was, keeping perfectly still. Genma's eyebrows furrowed from confusion due to his grandson's actions. "Didn't you hear me? I said get up!"

"Why should I?" Ryuku seethed. "So you can keep beating me?"

"You haven't even tried to fight back," Genma said. "I might as well be fighting a punching dummy!"'

"There's no point on fighting back," the redhead told the older man. "The only thing I'll accomplish is, well, nothing — except maybe wasting my energy."

Genma's smile twisted back into a frown. "How do you know?" he asked. "You haven't even tried yet. You can't say you'll fail when you haven't tried."

"It's common sense, grandpa. I quit martial arts for a reason."

A disconcerting silence settled around the two men. Genma circled around Ryuku, staring down at his grandson with a mix of frustration and disappointment. Ryuku focused his attention, gazing up at the tops of the tall trees that blocked a large amount of the sky. It was like they were closed off from the world. Finally, he was not only away from Nerima but from everyone that resided in Nerima as well. There wasn't any sort of satisfaction Ryuku thought he would be feeling. At the moment, the only thing he felt was pain: from his grandpa's infuriating persistence on changing something from the past, and annoyance: from his grandpa's need to _change_ his mind about something he decided a long time ago.

Genma was the first one to break the silence. "… You fought that Takumi boy, didn't you?"

"That's completely different."

"How so? What were your reasons for fighting that boy?" Genma questioned. He paused, watching Ryuku's face for any sort of reaction, before he supplied an answer to his own inquiry. "To protect your cousin. Isn't that one of many reasons why someone might take up the arts? To protect the weak? To protect their loved ones?"

"Yeah, I totally protected Misaki!" Ryuku announced bitterly. "Remember the part where I sent that brat to the hospital?" he let out a brief laugh, only to scoff the next second. "No, wait a second! That was me!"

"Did you forget something important?"

"Did I forget that I nearly died? Did I forget that my best friend got his arm broken by his own brother? That he might not even be able to get the use back of it, because his brother fucked it up that badly? His family's wasting money for stupid experimental therapy that probably won't even work! He's carrying a dead limb all because of me! Some best friend I am!" Ryuku gritted his teeth together. "Let's not forget that I must've mentally scarred my own cousin! It's bad enough that Misaki doesn't even talk to other people! I may have well just shoved her in a room and kept her there!" he forced himself up to glare at Genma. "So, tell me grandpa, what else could I have possibly forgotten to mention? I'm so curious to know!"

Genma cupped Ryuku's shoulder. "Have you looked at yourself?" he asked. "You're completely healed! I saw you in that hospital bed. You looked terrible. The doctors expected you to be in the hospital for months. Look at yourself, boy! You managed to get out in mere weeks!"

"Who cares about that?"

"_Who cares?_ You, of all people, should care!" Genma said. "You don't even know if you've improved since that fight!"

"When would I have the time to improve?" Ryuku asked. "You're not making any sense!"

"Throw a punch at me," he turned his head and tapped the side of his face. "Just one punch and we'll call it a day."

Despite rolling his eyes, Ryuku got back onto his feet and slipped into a stance. Genma fixed Ryuku's position, adjusting his body correctly. Once Genma moved away, Ryuku let himself settle back into a horrible posture. Genma didn't bother to readjust him for another time. Ryuku knew how to stand right.

"Stand properly," Genma demanded. "Stand with confidence."

Reluctantly, Ryuku fixed himself. He stepped forward to throw a punch. Like he had expected, his grandpa caught his fist with little effort. "Are you happy now?"

Genma released his hold of Ryuku's hand. "That was a horrible punch."

"Of course, it was."

"You didn't even try," Genma said. "Would you step into a fight like that? Of course, you'd lose!"

Ryuku clapped his hands together. "Thanks for telling me something I already know."

"Try again, Ryuku."

"I gave you the stupid punch you wanted," Ryuku turned away from his grandpa. "We're done for today."

**X**

On the third day of Genma's training, Ryuku was woken up at approximately seven o'clock. Instead of being welcomed awake by a bucket of water, Ryuku was simply given a small shake until he finally opened his eyes. Ryuku gazed up at his grandpa's face, reminding himself that he was _still _in the forest, which meant he was _still_ on the training trip. Genma lifted his hand away from Ryuku's shoulder. The older man jerked his thumb over to the fire. Lotion was chopping something on the cutting board, while she casually tossed precut vegetables into the pot that hung above the flames. Genma left Ryuku to himself and went to join Lotion. A soft sigh escaped Ryuku's lips, before he crawled out of his sleeping bag, and then fished inside his grandpa's bag for a change of clothes. After taking care of his usual morning necessities, Ryuku plopped down on the other side of Lotion.

"Good morning," Lotion chirped a greeting, as she handed Ryuku his portion of the meal. "I hope you slept well."

Silently, Ryuku accepted a spoon from Lotion. "… It was decent."

Genma handed his empty bowl over to Lotion, ready for another helping. "Eat up, boy," Genma told the redhead calmly. "I want to see that bowl –"

"Wiped clean! I get it!" Ryuku huffed. "Are you going to make me eat ten bowls today? I'm sure that'll make barfing later a lot more fun!" he stared at his grandpa in disgust, before he shoved his spoonful his mouth. Immediately, Ryuku yanked the spoon out and stuck his tongue out. "… Ouch."

"Did you burn yourself?" Lotion asked; her voice laced with concern. "I should've told you it was hot. I'm so sorry, Ryuku."

"The boy can handle a little sting," Genma assured the worried Amazon. "Isn't that right?"

Once he dipped his spoon into the meal, Ryuku lobbed the morsel onto his grandpa's face. "Whatever you say, grandpa…"

A flabbergasted gasp came from Lotion from Ryuku's actions. "Ryuku!" she cried. "Why did you do that?"

"Don't worry," Ryuku used the same assuring tone as Genma had done earlier. "He can handle a little sting," he dropped the spoon into the bowl. "Isn't that right?"

Genma wiped his face with the sleeve of his gi. "That's right," he pointed his spoon at Ryuku's bowl. "You better finish up. I want to see that bowl –"

"_Wiped clean_," the redhead finished mockingly. "I heard you the first time."

**X**

Ryuku's body hunched forward, his hands tightly grasping onto his stomach, before he landed onto his knees. One of his hands reached for the grass, pressing himself upright to prevent himself from collapsing completely. His mouth was filled with vomit threatening to leave his lips. Ryuku clenched his eyes shut, his eyelashes fluttering from the sour taste on his tongue, before he forced himself to swallow the mouthful. Tears brimmed in his eyes, furiously he wiped at his eyes with the hand that had been resting on his chest. Ryuku could feel his grandpa's eyes on him. Genma was waiting for him to get back onto his feet, for him to take another beating, for him to continue his useless training guide.

The redhead glanced behind him, meeting Genma's expectant gaze. Ryuku turned back forward, abruptly ending their eye contact. The twinge on his stomach was unbearable. The various sizes of bruises decorating his chest weren't anything to brag about. Neither was the black eye he was now sporting, along with the apple sized bruise on his right cheek. Ryuku let himself, face first, onto the grass. The individual strands of grass pressed onto his cheek were anything but comforting. But he'd rather accept the sensations the ground gave him than accept another fist or kick to the stomach and face. Right when he hit the ground, Genma was already at his side demanding he stop his childish antics.

"Get up, boy!"

Ryuku grabbed at a handful of grass. "Would you just leave me alone?"

"Are you really going to give up now?"

He yanked the patch out of the earth and growled out. "I've given up a long time ago!"

"Get up, boy!" Genma commanded. "This is pathetic!"

"I've been pathetic. Just accept it already, grandpa. I have."

"Why would I accept something that will never be true?" Genma took a seat onto the ground. He pried the grass out of his grandson's hands. "You're a Saotome and you can't change that. No matter how many times you try to deny it – it's the truth."

Ryuku turned onto his side, away from his grandpa.

"Your father, Ranma, was a natural."

"I'm not –"

"You were, too," Genma interjected firmly. "You had potential. You still have that potential. The only problem is that you're not letting yourself get there. You're letting yourself fail by giving up. I don't understand why you're holding yourself back."

When Ryuku lifted himself off of the ground, Genma looked at his grandson with hope sparking in his eyes. Had anything he told his grandson have any sort of impact? Were his words finally starting to get through to the boy? Ryuku stared at the older man, taking in the hope and the unsure but positive smile set on his lips. Some of what his grandpa had told him _did_ affect him. Those words affected him so much that he wanted to do nothing more than crush all those feelings away.

"… We're done, grandpa."

And just like Ryuku wanted, the hope in Genma shattered. His smile faltered into a thin line. "Alright, Ryuku," Genma murmured, his voice void of emotions. "If that's what you want to do. Today's training is now over."

**X**

On the fourth day of Genma's training, Ryuku was not woken up at all. When Ryuku finally cracked his eyelids open, he immediately noticed that his grandpa was nowhere in sight. Ryuku tore his sleeping bag off of him. His eyes landed on the Amazon, who had been preoccupied with pressing clumps of rice into rice balls. When a shadow loomed over her, Lotion dipped her head back to gaze up at the redhead behind her. A beautiful smile played across her lips, while she held a finished rice ball in her palm, patiently waiting for him to take it.

Ryuku accepted the offered piece of food. He took a huge bite from it. His jaw worked fast, as he chewed. He popped a question when he finished the snack. "… What time is it?" he sucked the extra grains of rice from his fingers.

Lotion turned her gaze onto the sky. "I'm not sure," she murmured. "I think it's a little past eight. Why do you ask, Ryuku?"

He removed his fingers from his mouth, gawking at her in disbelief. "It's _eight_?" Ryuku completely dismissed her question. "He didn't wake me up."

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," was Ryuku's abrupt answer, although it had came off as slightly defensive. "I just need to find my grandpa." He hesitated, before he leaned over Lotion's shoulder to swipe a handful of rice balls. "Thanks."

Slightly startled by what Ryuku had just done, Lotion recovered in time to shout after the redhead. "You're welcome!" a grin lit up her face. "Looks like I found something you like, Ryuku!"

**X**

"What are you doing?"

Compared to his father's fighting style, which was smooth and in a way elegant, Genma was slightly brasher with his approach. The older man's chain of punches and kicks to the air came to a halt from Ryuku's sudden appearance. Beads of sweat rolled down Genma's face, showing he had been training hard for several hours. Various tree trunks were now decorated with strikes and with deep dents the size of fists. Genma strolled past his grandson to take a seat at an unharmed tree. He picked up the bucket of water next to him, placing it between his legs, while he reached inside for the ladle. Genma gulped down the fresh water, droplets of clear liquid dripped down Genma's chin and landed onto his dampened gi. Ryuku waited. His grandpa had heard his question. He was taking his time, knowing that Ryuku's patience would only last for so long.

With a content sigh, Genma plopped the ladle back into the bucket. "What does it look like I was doing, boy?" he finally responded. "I was training."

Ryuku rubbed at the back of his neck. "I thought," he paused, his lips drooping to a frown. "I thought you would've dragged me out of bed or something. You know, wake me up with a bucket of water, or force me to eat until I puke."

"Why would I do that?" Genma asked with an eyebrow quirked. "It'd just be a waste of time bringing you along. Besides, you never wanted to go on this stupid training trip anyway. Weren't you only planning on taking a vacation of some sort? Some time away from home?"

It was obvious what his grandpa was planning. Ryuku wasn't about to play right into Genma's hand. He crossed his arms across his chest. "That's right," he agreed. "So, you finally realized that this whole training trip idea was dumb."

Genma didn't even bother to mull over the question, which proved to irritate Ryuku even more. "I realize that now, yes."

Ryuku lowered his eyelids, watching Genma dip his hand into the bucket to splash water on his face. "So, I could leave if I wanted, right?"

"Go ahead, boy," Genma insisted, idly waving his hand for Ryuku to leave. "There's no real reason for you to be here. We both know you'd never be able to carry on the arts. I apologize for wasting your precious time," he set the bucket back next to the tree, and then got back onto his feet. "In fact, you _should_ leave right now. I was only joking about throwing your stuff away. Its hidden somewhere in the woods. Not far from where our camp is."

When Genma went back to his training, he resumed where he had left off before being interrupted. Ryuku watched his grandpa, impatiently waiting for Genma to stop and finish the rest of their conversation. But Genma didn't stop. In fact, it didn't look like he was planning on stopping anytime soon. The redhead grabbed hold of Genma's bicep, cutting off his grandpa in the middle of his punch. Genma's eyes looked down at Ryuku's hand wrapped tightly around his arm.

"That's it?" Ryuku spat. "You really just gave up?"

"Was I not clear enough for you, my boy?"

Ryuku shook his head. None of this made sense. He stared down at the ground to avoid the expression Genma wore on his face. "… What about all that talk from yesterday?"

"What does that matter now?" Smoothly, Genma slipped his arm away from his grandson. "I'm agreeing with you. You _are_ a lost cause."

The wounded look on Ryuku's face lasted for several seconds, before he forced himself to recover from the shock. A nasty scowl went over his lips. He shifted his gaze from the ground to glare at his grandpa, who had once again resumed back to his training. "Whatever! I'm out of here!" The last thing he did before he left was kick the bucket. The force behind his kick was so strong that it left an impressive sized dent. Water splashed on Ryuku's slacks and droplets splattered on his cheeks and shoes. "Have fun with your stupid training!"

**X**

It wasn't very difficult to find where the redhead had run off to. Over the past several days, Ryuku had seemed to take a liking to taking a seat on top of a hill near the camp. He would stay in the spot for hours, until Lotion had to pry him away for dinner or to catch some sleep. Sometimes, when it was during a training session, Ryuku would slip away while Genma wasn't looking, and run over to the hill. Of course, Genma would find his grandson and drag him back to continue. But today something had happened between the two men. Even though, Lotion played the part of the ditzy love struck Amazon to a tee, she knew more than she let on. She wasn't sure if the redhead knew it himself, but she gathered enough that he at least had a hunch.

From the outside, Ryuku may not look like he cared much for fighting, which was perfectly understandable. Ryuku quit at a young age, for his own personal reasons. But the Amazon caught the subtle glint in his eyes, or the way his lips would quirk into a light smile when he saw his grandpa lecturing him about the way of the arts. Subconsciously, Ryuku did want to fight. Maybe that was where his true passions lay. But something was forcing him back.

Lotion wanted to help in some way. She had no idea how or what Genma's training methods were, but it clearly wasn't working. But if Ryuku refused any sort of assistance from his own grandpa, there was no way he would agree to accept help from Lotion. The redhead had the same kind of ideals as his grandpa: Boys did not fight with girls. Men did not fight with women. Lotion was raised to be one of the best Amazon warriors in her village. Clearly, she could hold her own. But alas that didn't matter. Her teachings probably wasn't what Ryuku needed right now anyway. He needed to be taught from the beginning.

Holding a trey with six rice balls placed neatly on top, Lotion ambled up the hill to meet with Ryuku. "Hello, Ryu," she said. "I brought you some food."

He kept his gaze focused on the sky. "Thanks."

Lotion took a seat and placed the trey between the two of them. She could see Ryuku's belongings placed in front of him. "Are you leaving?"

"… I was."

"Did something change your mind?"

"No," Ryuku mumbled. He reached for a rice ball, accidently brushing his fingers, grazing Lotion's hand. Slightly startled, Ryuku immediately pulled his hand back onto his lap. Lotion couldn't help but giggle at that. She muffled her laughter behind a loosely clenched fist, not wanting to upset the redhead.

She picked up one of the rice balls and held it in front of Ryuku's face. "Say 'ah'!"

"I can feed myself," he snatched the ball from Lotion and bit into it. Ryuku added more for his answer to Lotion's previous question. "I just got distracted by everything around me," he told her, chewing. "By the scenery and stuff."

"That makes sense," Lotion agreed slyly, knowing full well there was a lot more on Ryuku's mind than the forest's scenery. She played along with the redhead, feigning ignorance. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

**X**

On the fifth day of Genma's training, Genma was woken up at approximately four o'clock by a bucket of ice cold water. The sound of an animal's bloodcurdling screams echoed through the entire forest, starling birds from their nests and other wild animals from their slumber. Ice cubes slid down Genma's soaked fur, when he was forced to sit up. Despite shivering from the immense temperate, Genma's eyes were still half lidded from sleep. A rough slap was given to the side of Genma's face, waking up the panda somewhat. With a puzzled grunt, Genma lowered his eyelids once again and promptly fell back asleep. As a reward, Genma was given four more swift slaps on both of his cheeks.

"Wake up, you stupid panda!" Ryuku smacked his hands onto both sides of Genma's face, using his index fingers and thumbs to hold the animal's eyes open. "Jeez, you're stubborn! Stop falling back asleep. Do you hear me, grandpa? Stay awake!"

Since there was no way Ryuku would be able to understand him in his current form, Genma simply huffed.

Despite the time of day, Lotion cheerfully waltzed up behind the redhead, holding a bowl in one hand and a kettle in the other. "I brought what you asked for, Ryuku."

Ryuku took the bowl from Lotion. "Thanks."

"Anything for my husband," Lotion chirped. She tipped the kettle over Genma's head, unfazed by the older man's change back into his older form. Fortunately, for some unexplainable reason, Genma always returned back to normal with his gi intact. "Guess I better leave you two boys alone then, huh?"

When Lotion was out of the picture, Genma allowed himself to yell. "Have you gone mad, boy?" he screamed. "What were you thinking waking me up? The sun isn't even out yet!"

"Does it look like I care?" Ryuku snapped back. He thrust the bowl into Genma's hands; broth sloshed inside and went on Genma's fingers. "I want to see that bowl wiped clean, grandpa. _Is that clear?_" he was quick to continue speaking, preventing Genma from sending back a retort. "Then you're going to get your butt up, and we're going to train. Got it?"

Genma couldn't help but grin. "… Did I hear you right?"

"I'm not repeating myself."

"What made you change your mind?"

Ryuku smirked. "We're not here to talk."

Genma's grin widened, as he humored his grandson. "Alright, boy, if that's what you want."

**X**

On the sixth day of Genma's training, Genma was startled awake by Ryuku, who was may as well have kicked him out of his sleeping bag. Ryuku yanked at the front of Genma's gi, trying to get the man up and moving. "Come on, grandpa! You're wasting the day away!" he said. "I already ate, so hurry up and get to where I'm at!"

"I'm up! I'm up!"

"Hurry up!" Ryuku laughed. "I want to kick your ass today!"

Genma playfully punched Ryuku's bicep. "I'd like to see you try!"

Ryuku winced when Genma's harmful blow landed onto his arm. He was still sore and pretty banged up from yesterday's training, but he had managed to catch his grandpa off guard with a few hits of his own. "Are you trying to sneak in a few hits?"

"Of course not," he replied with slightly less mirth in his voice. He hadn't meant to add pressure onto Ryuku's bruises. "… I didn't mean to –"

"Martial artists are used to getting hit," Ryuku informed his grandpa. "I can handle a few punches."

"You're getting better, boy."

"Yeah, right," Ryuku snorted. "You don't have to lie to me. There's no way I can show improvement after one day."

"Just listen to what your grandpa tells you! Listen to your _teacher_!"

"Maybe I'll listen to my teacher when he stops being whiney!"

"How dare you insult an elder? Who taught you to be so disrespectful!"

They continued bickering until they finally reached their training spot. Both of them went silent, and then immediately began to launch into their own attacks.

**X**

To hold back a curse, Ryuku bit at the inside of his cheek. Lotion kept a firm hold around Ryuku's wrist, securing it on top of her lap, as she gingerly dabbed a cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide over his raw and bleeding knuckles. He fidgeted in front of the Amazon, clenching and unclenching his free hand every now and then. Despite how badly he had torn the skin on his fists. It was worth it. Pain lingered from the blow he had delivered to his grandpa but that was to be expected. The point of the matter was that not only had he managed to _hit_ Genma, but he had also nearly knocked him off of his feet. Maybe his punch even left him a bruise! Ryuku beamed proudly at the thought. It was about time the old man earned some bruises of his own.

Lotion began to slowly wrap bandages around Ryuku's fist. "You know," she said. "I think you're getting better, Ryuku."

"… Better at what?"

"What do you think?" she teased lightly. She brought Ryuku's other hand over and wiped away the drying blood with a fresh cotton ball. Ryuku mumbled something under his breath to distract himself from the pain. Lotion decided to provide a distraction for the redhead by continuing. "I was watching you two today. I was really impressed by you. Your weaknesses are easily spotted, which I'm sure you already know, but despite all that I still think you were great. If you keep this up, I think you might become better than me!"

Ryuku cracked a smile. It was a small one. But it was a smile nonetheless. "You really think so?"

"I do!"

"Well, uh," he fumbled a bit with his words, silently watching Lotion place bandages on his other hand. It was just so strange hearing the Amazon's say such kind things, without any sort of love declaration being mentioned first. "Thanks for saying that. But I think you're stretching it a bit with that last part. There's no way I'd _ever_ be better than a warrior princess."

Lotion's eyes widened from the aforementioned nickname, which she hadn't heard in years. Ryuku had only used it once, when they were both children. Her gaze softened on the redhead, her lips curling into a pleasant smile. "I wasn't stretching anything," she assured him gently. "Besides, you beat a warrior princess before, didn't you? Right when you announced that you wouldn't hit girls… unless they started the fight first."

Ryuku chuckled. "You sound kind of bitter about that."

"Me? Bitter?"

"We all say weird stuff when we're kids."

Having a civil conversation with Ryuku gave Lotion a nice feeling. It was almost as if the two of them were actually friends. There weren't any meddling mothers to deal with. There were no tiring shifts at the restaurant or ridiculous customers. There was nothing. There were just two unique individuals, having a pleasant talk. Wouldn't it be nice to have something special like this every day? Of course, things like that were too good to be true, which was a shame. Lotion wouldn't mind having a platonic relationship with the redhead. She would've loved to be friends with him. But with her mother in the way, something as innocent as friendship could never happen between them. If anything were to happen it had to involve _romantic_ feelings. The only title Ryuku had in Lotion's eyes, according to her mother, was the title of a husband and nothing more.

Lotion was separated from her thoughts when Ryuku cleared his throat. "… What is it?"

"It's just. Your hands are kind of…" he trailed off.

She glanced down to see she had been cradling Ryuku's fist in her hands. Immediately, she let go of him and instead clasped her hands together on top of her lap. She let out an uneasy giggle. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, I swear."

"I'm sure you didn't," Ryuku said, beginning to stand up. "Anyway, I should probably get going. Grandpa's waiting for me, said he had to talk to me about something."

"You do that!" Lotion nodded her head in agreement. "I should start preparing dinner!"

"Uh, yeah," hesitantly, Ryuku extended his hand in front of Lotion. "Let me help you up," his lips pursed, before he hastily added. "Just don't get the wrong idea, okay?"

Without missing a beat, Lotion accepted Ryuku's hand and allowed herself to be yanked up. However, as her body had lifted off the ground, a loud booming voice behind the pair startled them. "_Boy!_ What's taking you so long?" Seeing his grandson before him, simply standing around and doing nothing – due to Ryuku's current position, he blocked most, if not all, of Lotion's body – Genma decided to teach the boy a lesson and shoved the redhead forward.

Gracelessly, Ryuku plummeted forward and had nowhere else to land on _but _Lotion. The only thing the teens could do was gawk at each other in shock. Their faces were so close that the tips of their noses touched. A tiny amount of space proved to be the single obstacle in the way from lips joining together. Puffs of breathes mixed together. Ryuku's tongue darted out to wet his lips. Lotion could feel his body stiffen, before he weakly stuttered out a jumbled apology. An uneasy laugh came from the Amazon. She assured the redhead that everything was alright.

Like Ryuku had done earlier, Genma cleared his throat. "Would you quit fooling around, boy?"

Ryuku scrambled away from Lotion. "Y-You were the one who pushed me, stupid!"

"Putting the blame on someone else won't solve anything!" Genma snarled. "Now, let's get going! We need to discuss something important!"

Lotion stayed where she was, patiently waiting for the two men to leave. Once she was positive that she was alone, she slowly sat up. Her cheeks burned with a blush that was a dark shade of red. She firmly put her hand to the spot where her heart was, wondering why the organ was beating ridiculously fast. "Stop it," she ordered her heart. "That was an accident! It didn't mean anything!" she looked over to where Ryuku had walked off with his grandpa. Her fingertips lightly traced over her lips. "… This is stupid. I'm… _overreacting_ over something so silly!"

She headed down the path that would lead her back to the camp sight. As she walked, she couldn't help but ask herself one question: "What if one of them had closed the space between them?"

Immediately, her heart raced at the thought.

"No! No! _No!_" she shrieked. "Stop thinking about it, Lotion! It wasn't anything! Okay? Okay!" to give herself extra assurance, she nodded her head. "I just need to get my mind off of it. Cooking should do the trick!"

**X**

Ryuku leaned against the tree behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side. "So," he started awkwardly. Seeing his grandpa have such a stern expression on his face was so unusual that it made him uncomfortable. "What did you want to talk about, grandpa?"

"Why don't you take a seat boy?"

"… I'm fine with standing."

The stare his grandpa gave him caused him to change his mind. Ryuku slid down on the tree, making a face from the bark rubbing at his back, and sat down on the grass with his legs crossed. He cupped his kneecaps and waited for Genma to speak.

Genma towered over his grandson. "Do you remember what we talked about a few days ago?"

"We talked a lot," was Ryuku's answer after a few seconds had passed. "Which conversation are you talking about?"

"I'm being serious, Ryuku."

Ryuku attempted to lighten up the mood by cracking a dry retort. "I can never tell when you're actually being serious."

"I mentioned the hospital," Genma said. "How your wounds healed so quickly that you left the hospital earlier than everyone had expected."

"What about it?"

"You never thought to question why that was, boy?"

The redhead pulled his shoulders up for a shrug. "Well, I guess I just never really bothered to think about it," he replied. "I was kind of busy with other things going on, like my best friend breaking his arm, or being split into three different parts, or even better thinking I was back in time when it was really an illusion. That one was fun. But forget about the last two things I said, since you obviously have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Don't you see?" when Ryuku shook his head, Genma took hold of Ryuku's biceps and roughly wobbled him around. "It's the _Fighting Spirit_ that burns within you!"

Ryuku made a face. "… the fighting what now?"

"You heard me! The _Fighting Spirit_! I drilled the technique into you while you were but a boy, sensing you were wavering with your passion for the Saotome arts."

"What are you talking about?"

"The_ Fighting Spirit_ has been in the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts for centuries!" Genma explained boastfully. "The technique was created by masters who noticed their pupils training would be ruined sometime in the future. The masters would drill the spirit of a proud warrior into the mind of the pupil, which would cause the pupil's body to quickly remember how it once was during its physical peak."

"So, what you're saying is, that this technique sped up something? That I'm where I would be if I hadn't quit?"

"That's exactly it, my boy!" Genma beamed. "The benefits of, the _Fighting Spirit_, is quicker healing and faster recovery."

"That explains the hospital then."

"Do you remember during our training when I screamed at you to 'wake up'?"

Ryuku scowled. "How could I forget that?" he huffed. "I sometimes get nightmares of you chasing me around and yelling at me to 'Wake up! Wake up!' So, thanks for the night terrors, grandpa."

"By yelling those two simple words at you, and chasing you around for several miles, I was activating the _Fighting Spirit_ inside you."

"… You chased me around for miles?"

Genma nodded. "Yes. But the watermelon was just for the hell of it."

"Wait a second!" Ryuku growled. "You mean, _you_ were the one that smashed the watermelon on my face? What's wrong with you!" he rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in front of him. "Obviously that's a stupid question to ask!"

"The point is that if you keep this up you'll be where you should've been a long time ago."

"Hopefully, there aren't any more watermelons involved."

"_Hopefully_, we get you there soon," Genma said. "The benefits of the _Fighting Spirit _only last for so long. The effects of the technique begin to weaken as you age. If you don't take your training seriously, you'll find yourself back to the where you were when you quit."

Ryuku leapt onto his feet, immediately getting ready to attack the other man. "Then I guess we better keep training, huh?"

**X**

On the umpteenth day of Genma's training, Ryuku was approximately woken up at eight o'clock. While Genma certainly wasn't a slouch when it came to training, he was able to become somewhat lenient with the amount of sleep Ryuku received each night. A tired groan came from the redhead when he was being shaken awake. Ryuku batted them away, groaning once again, while he buried his nose into the crook of his arm.

"Leave me alone, mom," Right as the words left his mouth, Ryuku's eyes suddenly snapped open. Immediately, he sat up whipping his head right to left. He gawked at his grandpa, who was staring at him oddly. "Grandpa how long have we been here?"

"I'm not sure," Genma answered after giving the question some thought. "I'm sure it couldn't be longer than a week… or two."

"I've been gone for _two _whole weeks?" Ryuku hissed. "I wasn't supposed to – my trip was only supposed to be for a few days! Shit! My mom must be freaking out, and – the relatives. Oh god! Misaki! How could I forget about her? Not to mention Aunt Kasumi and Uncle Tofu! And _grandma_!" Ryuku shot a glare at Genma. "Grandpa, what's wrong with you! How could you let this go on for this long?"

"Maybe we've only been gone for a week?" he suggested unhelpfully.

"I can't stay here anymore," Ryuku groaned. He zoomed around the camp to quickly gather his things. "I have to get home now!"

"You can't just leave in the middle of our training trip! There's still work that has to be done!"

"We can finish that training stuff some other time! I have to go!"

**X**

It was the middle of the afternoon when Ryuku finally arrived at the dojo. Fortunately, given the time of day, that meant the house would be completely empty. His mother was already at her job, worrying herself over something. Ryuku wrapped his hand around the doorknob, expecting to find the door locked. He had his other hand reach for his house keys as he turned the knob. But Ryuku discovered that the door was already unlocked. Ryuku brushed off the surprise. There were times when his mother frequently forgot to lock the front door, whenever she was running late for work. Ryuku swung the door open and entered the dojo. He toed his sneakers off in the entryway and chucked his shoes next to the many other pairs. The redhead stepped onto the hard wooden floors. A relaxed sigh left his lips. He couldn't help but admit that he did miss the sight of the messy, crammed dojo filled with trash and dirty clothes.

Ryuku made a beeline for the staircase, but hesitated before he decided to walk up the staircase. Had someone been tidying the place up? The changes weren't exactly noticeable, but Ryuku couldn't help but notice that the table was cleaned up somewhat. Maybe his mother had found some spare time during the time her son was gone. Ryuku padded down the corridor for his bedroom. He dropped his backpack onto the floor, declaring that he would unpack after having a nice soak in the furo. After being out in the forest for an estimated two weeks with his grandpa, who had brilliantly suggested that if anyone wanted to have some sort of hygiene they use the forest's lake. It took Ryuku a long time for him to finally gather some courage to approach the lake with his bath gear in hand. However, the redhead was quickly chased away by the sights of his grandpa bathing in the lake. Ryuku suppressed a shudder. His grandpa couldn't help but always leave his grandson precious, mental scarring memories. Before leaving his room, Ryuku shed off his top and tossed it in the hamper.

The teen jogged down the hallway to slide down the staircase railing. As he landed onto the floor with a dull thud, he dashed for the wash room. He neatly placed the rest of his garments into a laundry basket above the laundry machines. Ryuku picked up what he assumed to be a clean towel and secured it around his lower body. He slid the wooden door to the bathing room open. With one foot inside, Ryuku stared into another pair of dark blue eyes. Next, there was the familiar head of disheveled red hair matted down by water. Droplets of liquid rolled down a lightly tanned face, which wore the same shocked expression as Ryuku. The uncanny physique, although the other's muscles were somewhat more defined.

Ryuku blinked.

He lifted his hand off the sliding door to wipe at his eyes. His eyes were clearly playing tricks on him. When he slowly counted to five, he reopened his eyes and found, to his utter horror, that he hadn't been seeing things after all.

It was like he was looking into a mirror.

Right in front of Ryuku Saotome was _Ryuku Saotome_.

"… What the hell is this?" was something Ryuku would've said, if the other Ryuku hadn't asked it first.


	21. Filler 4: Where on Earth is Ranma?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Filler 4:** Where on Earth is Ranma Saotome?

"Excuse me, sir!"

A stout, balding elderly man continued to insistently pound on the door located on the fourth floor of a humble apartment complex. His free tiny wrinkled hand rattled the doorknob. Normally, the man contained a great deal of patience for all of his tenants. Not only was he patient but he was kindhearted as well. He understood when someone was struggling to make ends meet. The man was more than willing to extend the deadline for a few days, since it was in his nature.

But the one thing the man did not tolerate was being taken advantage of.

This particular tenant had a terrible habit of turning in his payments much later than necessary. He wasn't fond of meddling in other people's affairs, but he had little choice in the matter. If he didn't become even a little bit forceful he'd never receive the rent.

"It's me again, your landlord!" the man called out. "I'm sorry for bothering you, but your rent is late for this month!"

Whispers from the other tenants were heard throughout the fourth floor, they watched the landlord struggle to get the door open. The man disliked resorting to having to open the door himself, as he loathed forcing his way in someone's personal business, but he had no choice. Using his own set of keys, he unlocked the door.

When he entered the apartment, the landlord found, to his surprise, that the place was completely wiped out. It was as if no one had been living there at all. Puzzled, the man slowly sauntered inside to find any sort of explanation for the tenant's disappearance. He stumbled upon the answer in the form of a crumbled napkin on the kitchen counter. As the man picked up the napkin, he reached in his breast pocket for his tinted reading glasses. After slipping the spectacles on, he brought the napkin to his face and read the messy scrawl.

_Sorry for leavin' but I overstayed my welcome. Thanks for everything you've done for me, old man! I ain't gonna forget you! – R. S. _

The man couldn't help but quirk a small smile from the affectionate nickname the tenant had dubbed him. At first, he had insisted that the young man call him by his proper name. But after having been around the youngster for quite awhile, the name had grown on him. The man couldn't help but notice that the tenant had frequently crossed out various parts of the napkin, showing he had struggled to come up with a simple parting message. On another part of the makeshift note, the man saw an additional message.

_P.S. All the money I owe you should be in the fridge. _

He lowered the napkin somewhat to look over to the refrigerator. Slowly, he walked over to the fridge and opened the door to find that the tenant had been telling the truth.

_I know it's a weird place to put it. But it's a lot safer than just leavin' it out in the open! You never know who might try to take some money lying around! Betcha I could list some people. _

**X**

The rumbling sounds of thunder could be heard from a distance, signaling to the crowd of people below that a storm would shortly begin. People brought out their umbrellas were and then quickly opened them. Soon the streets were covered in a variety of bright colors and designs. It appeared that everyone but a young man had something to protect themselves from the upcoming weather. A droplet of water landed onto the man's head. He didn't bother to seek temporarily shelter when the droplets turned into a light drizzle.

The man hitched his backpack higher on his shoulders and proceeded to weave his way through the crowd. When the storm finally started, rain pelted down onto the streets and onto a small group of giggling youngsters, who paraded through the large puddles, while they chatted amongst their friends. Couples huddled under one huge umbrella, holding hands and wearing bright smiles.

Everyone seemed to be caught up with their own lives to notice that in place of a young man was a petite redheaded young woman.

**X**

Aside from the queen sized mattress in front of the tiny television on top of drawers, the equally beat-up table shoved into the tiny space of a kitchen, and a closet spaced bathroom – there wasn't much else to look at in the room. The hotel certainly wasn't the best place to stay at, but if he were to compare the room to any day he spent outside with his old man, there was no contest. The hotel room was the far more luxurious choice.

The first thing he did was head for the shower, where he reverted back to his normal form and washing off the grime and dirt on his body. After changing into a fresh change of clothes, he left the bathroom, drying his hair on the way to grab his backpack where he had left it. He plopped onto the mattress, heaving an exasperated sigh, while he tossed the bag at the headboard. Blankly, he gazed up at the ceiling of the hotel room, idly wondering how stains could've managed to land on the ceiling. The ceiling fan spun slowly, creating irritating gritting sounds as it moved. He flipped himself onto his stomach, reaching for his bag to dig inside. Once his hand grabbed onto what he was looking for, he quickly pulled his hand out to reveal a book. He shifted into a seated position, curled up with the book placed gently on his lap.

While he flipped through the pages, he paid little mind to the heavy amount of text printed on each page. As he neared the end of the book, he paused on a page and plucked what was used to mark his spot. In his hand, he held a faded and wrinkled photograph. In the photo was a picture of a small family: a father, a mother, and their child – a little boy, who appeared to be at the tender age of five. A wistful smile played across his lips, his thumb brushed the face of the woman first, and then landed onto the boy with the fiery red hair.

They were no doubt a picture perfect family.

Of course, the novel he had brought along with him belonged to his wife. There wasn't much that caught his attention, save for martial arts. The only reading material he had available was the impressive collection of manga he had left somewhere in the dojo. Maybe his son found them at some point and was reading them himself. Or maybe Akane threw them away. Either one sounded pretty likely. Although, he wouldn't blame his son if _he_ was the one who had tossed the collection instead.

He hadn't planned on brining the book along with him. To be honest, he had grabbed it on a whim. One night, he had noticed what Akane was using as her bookmark, and without a second thought snatched it on the way out.

Everyone looked so happy.

Everyone _was_ happy.

It wasn't like many things had changed after he left. Besides the fact that he missed his son growing up or that he had left his wife to raise their son. Maybe a lot changed after he left. But he had to leave. It wasn't like he left for a cowardice reason, like his old man would if he had the chance. He left with a significant purpose: to find a cure.

A snort left his lips. "Yeah, a cure," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He looked over the boy in the picture, noting how similar his son's grin was to his own. How, aside from the red hair, he was almost the splitting image of his old man. The little Saotome even had a pigtail of his own. "After nine years and I've still got nothin', may as well go home… not like I'm doin' anythin' here."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. It wasn't like him to give up. Ranma Saotome didn't give up. "No, I can't go home. Not yet. There's somethin' out there. I know there is. I've just gotta be patient."

Ranma turned onto his stomach and held the picture up in front of his face. "I'm doin' this all for you two!" he informed the photo with a grin. "We all just gotta be patient. I'm doin' the best I can. It's not like I wanted to leave but I had to."

"I'll keep doing my best for my family," he promised softly. "I'm sendin' money every month. That oughta let you have time to work on your cookin', Akane. Kind of miss your slop."

"Ryuku's probably pissed off, too," Ranma said. "His old man ditched him in the middle of his training. Hopefully, my old man didn't do anything too badly… _yet_." He brushed his thumb over Ryuku's face. He looked so young. "Guess you're not so little anymore, Ryuku."

**X**

Of all the places he could've stumbled upon in the world, the last place Ranma expected to find himself was at a farmyard. He moseyed throughout the closed off property, taking his time as he followed along the dirt path. As he continued at a rather leisurely pace, Ranma noted the various animals roaming around the open yard. There were chickens fluttering around a cluttered hen house, pausing a moment from their frantic attempts at flying to peck and yank at the grass. Cow bells attached to goats rattled loudly, while they took a step forward in every other direction, before pausing to eat something from the ground. Lowing cows worked their jaws on the large piles of hay, tails swatting at pesky flies hovering near their rumps.

Ranma's ears picked up the sounds of Akane's _favorite_ animal. Or at least what used to be her favorite animal. The whole P-chan façade had lasted longer than Ranma would've expected. Every time Akane's adorable piglet managed to find the dojo, Ranma could hear a time bomb ticking away in his head ever so slowly, counting each second until Ryoga would be exposed. Unfortunately, at some point, Akane did discover Ryoga's secret. Ranma wasn't sure of the specific details, save that he and Akane hadn't tied the knot yet.

All that was important was that Akane discovered that Ranma had been right the entire time. Ryoga _was_ her precious black piglet P-chan. The same little piggy who she had shared her bed with for the last few years. Needless to say, Akane's notorious temper surpassed its usual level. The horrified expression Ryoga wore was difficult to forget. Ranma had no idea why Ryoga decided that then was the greatest time to confess his feelings to the tomboy. Everything beyond that point just continued to go downhill for Ryoga. Fortunately, Ukyo was there to help the lost boy through his slump.

When Ranma finally married Akane, he honestly hadn't expected to see anyone turn up. Invitations were sent to everyone in Nerima, despite that Akane specifically requested that only close friends and family were to attend the ceremony. Of course, Happosai paid little attention to Akane's wishes and decided to spread the word that another failed marriage was on the way (which sent the little pervert flying across the sky from Akane's mallet). Even though some problems would be unavoidable, the couple successfully wedded. At the after party, Ranma was pulled aside by a sheepish Ryoga, wearing a wrinkled tuxedo and a fanged uneasy grin. But it turned out that the lost boy wasn't alone with his visit. Next to Ryoga's side was none other than Ukyo Kuonji, who held onto the flushing lost boy's hand. Judging from the tiny indentation from Ukyo's stomach, it looked like the pair was going to have another one by their side.

Ranma stopped in front of the pig pen. He grasped onto the wood containing the pigs inside, as he blankly stared as the animals inside rolled in dirt and filth. Prior to Ryoga being found out, somehow, the pair of martial artists had managed to mend their so-called friendship. Since old habits did, in fact die, hard, Ranma constantly teased Ryoga about every little thing that embarrassed him or caused him to nosebleed. Riling his old rival enough would initiate an incoming dual, which Ranma would never turn down, since Ryoga would always be a formidable opponent.

"I bet these pigs have more of a sense of direction than you do, Ryoga." Ranma commented to no one in particular, as he let out a soft chuckle.

He could already imagine Ryoga's retort. "Shut up, Ranma! I'll murder you! Prepare to die!"

With a smile, Ranma waved goodbye to the pigs and continued down the dirt path. Ryoga was a good guy. He was able to handle himself well. Things had gotten somewhat better between Ryoga and Akane after Ukyo gave birth to her first son, Ryou. When Ryuku was born, the two could _almost_ be called friends. Nine years was a long time. Anything could happen. Ranma could only assume that everything was better now. Hopefully, everything _was_ better.

A quack startled Ranma from his thoughts. His strides forward halted, when he saw a family of ducks waddling down the dirt path as well. Ducklings trailed after their mothers with their little webbed feet. Ranma laughed. Of course, he couldn't help but think of Mousse. One of the last times he had seen the blind Amazon was several days before the official date set for the wedding. A handwritten note somehow landed itself in Ranma's hands, informing him that he was to meet Mousse at the Cat Café. Assuming the note had been a challenge letter; Ranma immediately left for the restaurant and thought of ways how he'd win the fight. When Ranma arrived he was greeted by the Amazon, who happily informed him that Shampoo returned his feelings. After the day of the wedding, Ranma swung by the café in the mood for a bowl of ramen, only to find that the restaurant had been deserted and that the Amazons had left for China.

Ranma hadn't expected to ever seen Shampoo, Mousse, or the old ghoul again. But for some reason, the Amazon couple returned. According to Shampoo, the Cat Café was going to be removed and replaced with another restaurant. It wasn't long before the Cat Café was back in business. Whenever Ranma came to visit, he'd be bombarded with the usual affection from Shampoo, who still flaunted herself at the pigtailed martial artist even when her husband and daughter were present.

When a meow disturbed Ranma's thoughts, he tensed, and immediately sprinted away from the farm.

**X**

The smell of okonomiyaki lured Ranma to an isolated food stand. Since there wasn't a particular destination set in his mind, Ranma didn't mind a short snack break (and neither did his stomach). Ranma plopped himself down onto a stool. The vendor paid little attention to Ranma. The tiny TV set jammed into the corner of the stand's ceiling had a martial arts tournament playing on the screen. Ranma cleared his throat, waving his hand in front of the vendor's face to gain the man's attention. With an annoyed grunt, the vendor glanced at him, but kept silent. Ranma pointed to the okonomiyaki he wanted on the menu in front of him.

Silently, the vendor poured the batter onto the griddle and let it sizzle, while he continued to watch the match on the screen. Instead, Ranma focused on the counter, idly rearranging the plates and placemats which were left out for any wandering customers. The fight ended fast, almost too fast. Shaking his head, the vendor picked up Ranma's plate to drop the okonomiyaki onto it. As he did this, his eyes remained glued onto the TV. Ranma began to dig in, his eyes glancing over to who the victor of the short lived fight was. When the camera zoomed onto the standing challenger, the image of Ranma's grinning face filled up the screen.

Ranma made a face. "Damn it," he mumbled, his eyes turning over to the vendor, who hadn't seemed to make the connection yet.

Finally, the vendor gave Ranma a double take. His eyes widened in recognition. He had seen Ranma Saotome fight before. "Y-You're –"

"Thanks for the food!" Ranma heaved himself off of the stool, plate still in hand, and quickly left the flabbergasted vendor by himself.

**X**

"This looks like a good place."

No one was around for miles. The only things were the gorgeous scenery, the tent Ranma had set between two trees, the pile of chopped wood which would soon be a fire, a bagful of food waiting to be devoured, and lastly the company of himself. It was the perfect location to have as a temporary home for the next few days. Once Ranma had everything settled, he sat down in front of the fire, watching the meal he was preparing bubble inside the pot. He reached inside the folds of his coat, taking out Akane's novel to bring out the photograph.

**X**

Like every other early morning for Ranma, the pigtailed martial artist spent his early hours training. He wore his usual workout attire: a red Chinese silk shirt, and a loose pair of baggy black slacks. For today, he decided to see how his footing worked while barefoot. The dirt pressed against his bare skin felt refreshing in a way, as he quickly jabbed and punched at nothing. Located several feet away from the fighter's spot was rushing water, which to Ranma sounded welcoming. A morning swim sounded refreshing to him, but after he finished his morning workout first. Ranma edged closer to the water, continuing his blows to the air.

Somehow, the wedding ring on Ranma's finger began to slip, while he punched. Ranma seemed oblivious to this as he practiced the precision of his punches. At the last possible moment was when Ranma realized his ring had fallen off. Ranma could only watch in horror as the ring fell into the water. Without a second thought, Ranma dove into the lake and desperately went to find the ring.

When Ranma finally climbed out of the water, she was drenched to the bone, her clothes sticking onto her shapely body snuggly. In her clenched hand, she tightly held onto the wedding ring Akane had placed onto her finger nine years ago. If she had lost it – she shook her head ridding herself of the thought. She had found it. But it was quite strange; usually Ranma placed her wedding ring somewhere safe when she was in the middle of training. Perhaps she had been too deep into her thoughts to realize she hadn't taken it off. She sauntered over to her camping spot, heading for her tent to fetch the kettle from her pack. After setting up the kettle over a fire, Ranma changed into a fresh change of clothes, while she hung the wet clothes over some tree branches. Ranma sat down in the middle of her tent, dragging her backpack onto her lap to dig out Akane's novel.

But she found that the book was not inside. A puzzled frown played across her lips, before she hopped onto her feet to check if she had left the book around the fire. To her dismay, Ranma didn't find the item there either.

_Where the heck did I put that stupid thing?_ Ranma thought to herself. She circled around the fire, cupping her chin, as she mulled over her past actions. "I couldn't have lost it, could I? No. No way, I –" her eyes widened. The book was on her person when she had been training. "Why was I carrying that around?" she cursed under her breath. There was no point searching for it now. The currents from the water must've destroyed the book by now.

A bitter laugh came from Ranma. "Of course, I'd lose the only photo I have of my family." She shook her head. "Whatever. I'm doing this for them. I just gotta keep goin'." She forced herself to clear her mind.

This wouldn't be forever.

She'd see Akane and her son again. She needed to focus on finding what she had left Nerima for: a cure.


	22. Ch 16: Here's Who are you?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½. The only things that belong to me is the story and my own characters.

* * *

**Chapter 16:** Here's… Who are you?

Everything was a dream.

There wasn't any other alternative that made sense.

Everything _had_ to be a dream. Either that or this was another illusion. Ryuku's stomach jittered at the thought; he desperately hoped it was the former. He didn't think he'd ever recover after meeting a teenage illusion of his father.

Twin pairs of dark blue eyes gawked at each other, while minutes continued to gradually tick by. Neither of them blinked for the longest time, acting as if they were in a peculiar staring contest. The other Ryuku hadn't budged from where he stood. He simply stared at Ryuku, wearing a puzzled expression on his face. The look was perfectly understandable. It wasn't everyday you walked into the bathroom, expecting to relax after some time spent away from home – only to find that someone had beaten you to the bathroom, and that that _someone_ happened to be an exact replica of yourself. Occurrences like didn't exactly happen every day.

Warily, Ryuku eyed himself. _What kind of sick dream is this?_

The other Ryuku heaved a sigh, momentarily disturbing Ryuku from the possible scenarios going through his mind. An exaggerated yawn left the other Ryuku's lips. His hand kept the towel around his waist in place, while he stretched his other arm in the air. "I don't know about you," Ryuku blinked, watching the other redhead wipe at his eyes. Hearing his voice coming from someone other than himself was not normal at all. "But as much as I do enjoy checking _myself_ out, I'd rather do that with clothes on."

Ryuku glanced down at himself, immediately wishing he had been fully dressed before he had discovered that he, apparently, had a long lost twin no one bothered to mention. Silently, Ryuku answered him with a curt nod. The confusion lessened on the other Ryuku's face, instead his lips turned up into a light smirk. Without another word, the double briskly strolled towards the door. As he past Ryuku, the redhead's eyes were instantly drawn to what was attached to the other Ryuku's hair.

"_Ouch!_" the other Ryuku suddenly yelped. He glared behind him. "What the heck are you –"

Ryuku's hand gave another hard tug to the pigtail he held. "You have your –"

This time it was the other Ryuku who cut him off. He slapped his hand away from his hair to protectively hold his braid in a loose fist. "Yeah, it's a pigtail," he stated matter-of-factly. "What's with that look? You have one, too!" he reached around Ryuku's head, his fingers curled onto Ryuku's hair. "What the heck? Where'd your pigtail go?"

"… I got rid of that a long time ago."

"This is just too weird," he shook his head, gazing down at the tiled flooring, only to realize that he was still only wearing a towel. "Right. Clothes."

What kind of crazy dream was this?

**X**

"Who are you?"

Seeing himself turn away from the mirror, which was hung above his desk, was most likely _the_ strangest thing he'd ever witnessed. In the other Ryuku's hand, a metal comb was poised over his stylized hair, greatly contrasting with Ryuku's heavily tousled look. Suddenly feeling rather self-conscious, Ryuku raked his fingers through his red tangled tresses, attempting to straighten his hairstyle somewhat (the attempt wasn't very successful). Aside from their different hair, there were many other differences the redhead noticed. The other Ryuku's sense of fashion was entirely different as well. His double was now clad in a tight fitting red tank top and black cargo pants. On his twin's shoulder, he casually held onto a leather jacket, which was a darker shade of red than his top. Poking out of his pants pocket was a pair of matching leather gloves. When the other Ryuku moved his body away from the mirror, Ryuku's eyes landed on the aviator sunglasses hanging from his collar. The glasses swayed slightly from his brief movement, seeming like it was teasing Ryuku with his twin's dissimilarity to himself.

With a quirked eyebrow, the other Ryuku replied to Ryuku's inquiry with one of his own. "What kind of question is that?"

Ryuku looked away from the sunglasses to glare at his double. "What am I supposed to ask then?" he snapped harshly. "How was your day,_ whoever you are?_"

The other Ryuku rolled his eyes, turning away to set his comb down on the desk. "I'm Ryuku Saotome."

"No, you're not."

"Yeah, I am."

"No, you're definitely not."

He leaned back onto the chair placed at Ryuku's desk. One of his hands reached behind him, blindly reaching for something. He nudged at his own backpack (which must've been on Ryuku's desk for quite some time now). When Ryuku had arrived home, he had paid little attention to his surroundings. The only thing he was concerned with was taking a break from his impromptu training trip, and then spending the rest of the day resting. If he had taken a minute to check _something_, he would've noticed something fishy going on sooner rather than later.

The other Ryuku picked up a manga to idly flip through; he kept his eyes on Ryuku, as he flipped through every page in the book. "Yeah, I definitely am."

"There's no way you can be me, because that just," Ryuku shook his head. "It doesn't work like that. There can't be_ two_ of me."

"Well, then how do you explain this?" he briefly gestured his hand between the two of them. "I'm staring at myself, aren't I?" the other Ryuku skimmed over Ryuku, as if he was trying to see through him, to see if he was actually real, actually there. "It's unbelievable. It's like I'm, well," he shut the manga closed. "Looking in a mirror."

Ryuku's eyes widened, realization finally kicking in. "_You!_" he pointed his finger at him. "You came from that mirror didn't you?"

A puzzled expression washed over the other Ryuku's face. Slowly, he faced the mirror hanging above Ryuku's disk, lifting the item up to blink at his reflection. "What mirror are you talking about?"

"Don't act dumb," He narrowed his stare onto his double. "Did you manage to escape or something? Or was there another part of me that split? No. That's stupid," he scowled, displeased that once again there another problem caused by his grandpa's supposed _cure_. "When I see that stupid panda again, I swear, I'm going to beat him to a pulp."

"What mirror are you talking about?" the other Ryuku repeated still as clueless as ever.

"Why should I trust you?" Ryuku spat harshly. "Are you planning something? Were you going to get rid of me and then take my place? Well, go ahead and do it! I'm sure I'll enjoy the break! It's not like you didn't make things any worse for me."

The other Ryuku set the mirror down behind him. "Not only are you confusing the hell out of me, but you're also freaking me out, man," he said. "I wasn't planning on anything, because I… I don't know what I think now. It's not every day you find your lost twin. Maybe we were separated at birth? It's nice to finally meet you, brother! My name's Ryuku –"

"Shut up!" was Ryuku's swift outburst. "_I'm_ Ryuku!"

"Huh," was all the other Ryuku said. His hip leaned onto the sturdy wooden desk behind him. He moved his arms complacently to form a 'thinking' pose, taking hold of his elbow as he cupped his chin. "That's strange. Why would you have twins and give them the same name? Talk about lazy. I guess Ma was never that creative in the first place."

Ryuku attempted to rationalize this, there was no way they were twins. _Mom would have said something, not to mention we look perfectly alike._ "Are you really this dense? Or are you pretending to be dumb?" Ryuku asked snappily to the boy in front of him, who bore an uncanny resemblance to himself. "We aren't twins. We're the same person. Identical twins look alike, but you can spot the differences. When I look at you, I only see myself. I see a living reflection." He wasn't sure: Ryuku knew he wasn't an expert in this sort of thing. But his reasons sounded like they made sense.

The other Ryuku shrugged. "Then we're the same person. It's not like that's any less weirder than being twin brothers."

"Right," Ryuku said, annoyed. "I forgot these kinds of things happen a lot. Just the other day, I saw these twins at Uncle Tofu's clinic. I guess I should've just assumed they were the same person instead."

"I was trying to make light of the situation," the other Ryuku said. He shifted from his current position to cross his arms behind his head, forming a more relaxed and comfortable pose for himself. "So, what about this mirror you mentioned?"

"It's a very long and very _annoying _story."

"A story I should know about?"

"It doesn't matter," Ryuku said. "I just – we need to do something. We need to find that mirror," the redhead began to pace around his room, ignoring the puzzled stares he received from his twin. He kicked at the open backpack on the floor, scattering the contents inside all over floor. Suddenly, a nagging voice in his head informed him that he'd have to unpack sooner or later. But he couldn't pretend everything was normal, and unpack all his things, when everything definitely wasn't normal. "Grandpa was the one who did all this in the first place. _Grandpa_ made me look into the stupid thing. Of course, it trails all the way back to him. The no good," he didn't bother to finish his sentence. Instead, he closed his mouth, lips pressing into a nasty irritated scowl.

"What about Gramps?" the other Ryuku piped in curiously. "Did he do something?"

"When does he _not_ do something?"

"Tell me about it," he snorted, although based on the smirk he wore he was amused rather than annoyed. "My old man's always kicking him out of the house, the no good freeloader. But Gramps is a funny old fart, I can't deny that," his smirk grew into a grin. "He's really desperate when it comes to free eating, like this one time –"

"Wait a second," Ryuku cut in quietly. "Did you," he stopped to clear his throat, hoping by doing so would get the tremor out of his voice. "Dad still… he hasn't…" once again, Ryuku stopped speaking. His eyelids shut, as he struggled to force out the rest of his words. "He's… He's actually _home_?"

"Well, yeah," the other Ryuku replied. "Where else would Pops be but in Nerima? Speaking of which," he walked away from the desk to step over to the door, which he opened to poke his head out into the hallway. "Where is Pops?" he called out for their father in the corridor, his voice echoed throughout the otherwise quiet household. When he was met with silence, he looked back over to Ryuku to helpfully add. "He's good at handling this weird stuff."

Ryuku opened his eyes, watching his twin leaning out the hallway. Was he expecting their father to suddenly show up and have all the answers? The chances of that happening were very, very unlikely. A bitter laugh left Ryuku's lips. "I guess this kind of explains some things about you."

"What're you talking about?" he detached himself off of the doorframe and faced Ryuku. "Where's Pops?"

"_Pops_ isn't here. He hasn't been home in nine years."

The other Ryuku's eyes widened, uncannily mimicking Ryuku's earlier startled expression. Of course, Ryuku had expected this to be his twin's response. But what he had not predicted was how short-lived his shock would last. The other Ryuku leaned onto the doorframe, crossing his arms in front of him, while a smirk formed on his lips. "I guess that kind of explains some things here."

Ryuku's narrowed his eyes onto the other redhead. "… What kind of things?"

"For one thing, the dojo," his twin replied casually. "Have you bothered to take a look around? You're literally living in a dump. I'm not crazy about cleaning either, but even _I _know when to stop being lazy and clean up after myself."

"Gee, thanks for the cleaning advice!" Ryuku retorted dryly, even going out of his way to force a grin on. "I've never noticed how bad this place has gotten! All it took was _me_ to help me get my act together! Thanks, Ryuku!"

"Oh, you're very welcome," the other Ryuku spat out with a feigned cheerful smile. "Who better to hear this stuff from besides yourself?"

Ryuku threw back another dry retort. "Oh, how right you are!"

"Pops not being here also explains Ma's attitude when I showed up," the other Ryuku continued. "And boy was she pissed off! Usually when_ my_ ma lectures me, she never cried all over me. She kept mentioning stuff about being abandoned and how she lost Pops. Would it have killed you to leave a note or something?"

"Mind your own business."

"That's kind of hard to do," his double informed him. "Since your business is technically my business. I'm pretty sure I can meddle in my own business."

"If I wanted to talk to myself, I'd –" Ryuku stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose, grinding his teeth together. He dropped his arm down to his side to stare at himself. "We need to fix whatever the hell is going on here. I'm not going to waste all day arguing with _myself_!"

"What do you suggest we do then, smart guy?"

"Find that mirror," was Ryuku's snappy answer. "Grandpa stole something from this pawn shop he walked past. He thought it was another cure to –"

He was suddenly interrupted by the other Ryuku. "No way!" he snorted. "Don't tell me you have a Jusenkyo curse, too!"

Ryuku paled. "Y-You mean, you…"

The other Ryuku nodded. "Yeah, I do," he laughed. "Hey, looks like we have something in common after all."

"Stop distracting me!" Ryuku hissed. "The point is that we need to find that pawn shop, find the stupid mirror, and then get rid of you."

"Jeez, I didn't know I could be such a dick to myself."

"Since we can't exactly have two of us running around," Ryuku glanced down onto the floor, skimming over what had fallen out of his bag. When he perceived that what he needed hadn't been kicked out of his bag, he snatched his backpack to dig inside. Within a matter of seconds, he took out a canteen and shook it around in front of the other redhead, hearing the cold water inside slush around. "One of us needs to change."

The other Ryuku looked down at his clothes, which were nice and dry. Normally, he wasn't one to brag, but compared to Ryuku, he certainly had a better sense of style when it came to fashion. It would've been a crime if he had to be the one to change. The girls wouldn't be able to gawk at anyone worth drooling over. It wouldn't only be a crime against himself, but to all women in the world as well. Besides, all of the superior clothes he wore as a girl were back at _his_ home. "As much as I _enjoy_ the perks of being a chick, I just finished soaking in the furo. You don't want to ruin a nice soaking, right? That'd just be a crime against… well, yourself."

"You don't belong here," Ryuku shoved the canteen onto the other's chest. "_You_ be the girl."

"If you think about it," the other Ryuku began, slowly moving the canteen closer to Ryuku. "I'm the guest. It's only natural that the _host_ respects their guest's wishes and _be_ the girl."

Ryuku grounded his teeth together. He felt like smacking his double with the canteen. "I bet you'll look especially cute with that pigtail of yours."

When an idea formed in his double's head, his face lit up. "I know what we can do," he grinned, beaming that he had come up with such a clever thought. "How about a quick round of Rock-Paper-Scissors?"

"I'm great at that game," Ryuku smirked. "I can't lose."

The other Ryuku returned the smirk. "Neither can I."

**X**

There was no point to pay attention to what was happening around him. The pawn shop was – like it always was – empty. The hardcover novel set in front of him did little to distract him, especially since the novel was printed in an entirely different language. When the bell rang, signaling a potential customer, Tetsuo reluctantly dethatched himself from his book. His dark brown colored eyes briefly glanced up to properly send a greeting to the patron. However, an annoyed grunt left Tetsuo's mouth and he abruptly shifted his attention back to the novel. The person who had entered the shop was the troublesome peddler.

"What do you want?"

Wearing a friendly smile, Mr. Peddler made his way across the shop to stand at the register. "Greetings to you, too."

Tetsuo didn't even bother to look away from the page he was on.

"Is something troubling you, my friend?" the peddler asked, his tone showing sincere concern towards the shop owner.

"Would you shut up?" he closed the book with a sigh and dropped it onto the counter.

Since the book wasn't even in a comprehendible language (it could've been a dead foreign language for all he knew). The only reason he kept a stack of old dusty books next to him was to make himself look busy. It was easier to discourage people from entering the store that way.

"I'm surprised you're still here," Tetsuo said. "Usually, you'd be gone by now, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, you _should_ leave. You aren't exactly the greatest reminder from my past."

"Now, you know that isn't true."

"Don't even try to make me change my mind. You're a total prick," he snorted. "I don't even know why I put up with you for so long. Probably because I had nowhere else to go, or because you couldn't stand being alone."

The peddler pursed his lips. "I've brought plenty of things for your shop."

"Are you blind or just stupid?" the peddler gestured towards his clouded right eye. "Half-blind then," Tetsuo corrected himself through a chuckle. "No one comes to my shop."

As if on cue, the door to the pawn shop swung open, once again triggering the bell to ring. Scowling, Tetsuo ignored the smug smirk on the peddler's lips, and shoved the older man aside to see who had walked inside. Two teenagers stood towards the front of the shop. The tallest of the pair was a boy, who was dressed in something Tetsuo would've worn during his younger years. Tetsuo's scowl deepened not from what the boy wore, but from the boy's fiery red colored hair. He was a total delinquent. Granted, Tetsuo wasn't any better in his youth, but he had his justified reasons for rebelling against society. There was no doubt that the delinquent had a wonderful family, an even more wonderful home, and only acted in defiance to cure his craving need for attention. It was youngsters like that who Tetsuo could never tolerate.

The shortest of the pair was a girl, who greatly contrasted with the male next to her in her modest light colored clothing. Tetsuo assumed the slightly peeved expression on the girl's face was reasonable, considering who was invading her personal space. While it was terribly tempting to kick the boy out, Tetsuo could tell the teenagers were related. The first thing that was the dead giveaway was the similar facial features the two shared. But the atmosphere between the pair reminded Tetsuo of his daughters. Perhaps, it was a father's intuition that aided his conclusion as well.

Tetsuo glanced over to the peddler, knowing the old man would refrain from making any comments, until the customers left. "What do you want?" He greeted the teens with his usual warmhearted welcome.

The smirk that went on the boy's lips irritated Tetsuo's mood further, until he was elbowed by the girl. Tetsuo didn't bother to hide a smirk of his own. "We're looking for something," the girl answered, sounding nervous.

"Well, that doesn't exactly help me," Tetsuo muttered. The peddler shot him a look Tetsuo knew all too well. He rolled his eyes. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

Once again, the boy attempted to speak. This time the girl simply gave him a glare, which successfully silenced him. The boy held his arms in front of him defensively, before he decided to wonder around the shop. "A mirror," she said. "I, uh, _we_ were told you had one."

"What kind of mirror would this be?" Tetsuo asked, already growing bored with their discussion. Cautiously, his eyes followed after every one of the boy's movements (even if the teens were related, nothing would stop him from kicking them out if something ended up broken).

"I'm not exactly sure what it's called," the girl mumbled. "But it was, um, small. It looked kind of old… and tacky," from the confused stare she received from Tetsuo, she quickly added. "My grandpa might've stolen it?"

Tetsuo turned to Mr. Peddler. "Do you know what she's talking about?"

Mr. Peddler waved Tetsuo's question away. "Tell me, young one," he began. "Is your grandpa a big man? Did he wear glasses and hide his baldness?"

The girl snorted. "That sounds like him."

"Then I believe I know what you're looking for, Miss." The peddler left for the backroom. It wasn't long before he shortly returned, in his hands he carried a box, which he held it out for the girl to take. "Here you are."

Hesitantly, the girl accepted the box. When she opened the lid, her jaw dropped. "I-It –"

"Broken, I'm afraid," the peddler finished calmly. "You see, my friend has a terrible temper. When he was given such a nice gift, he thought it best to show his appreciation by ruining a thoughtful gesture from an old friend. I've always told him to not let his anger control him, but he never listens."

"You're kidding, right?" Tetsuo scoffed. He faced the girl to lean over the counter to look inside the box himself. With a hefty amount of glue and patience the tacky mirror would be as good as new. "Look, if you want…" he sighed, raking his fingers through his short black graying hair. "You can have what's left of the mirror free of charge," under his breath, he muttered. "That saves me the trouble of throwing it away myself."

"Uh, thank you." The girl smiled weakly, as she closed the box. She left the register to go over to the boy, who had taken an interest with an item he was fiddling with. The girl snatched what he held away from him, nearly slammed it on the store shelves, and then dragged him out of the store.

When the peddler saw the two walk past the pawn shop, he turned back to Tetsuo. A pleased smile played across his lips, he was going to finally announce his unnecessary comment. "Now, didn't those two make a nice couple?"

Tetsuo made a disgusted sound, gagging slightly. "I'm pretty sure those two were related."

"That's a shame," the peddler hummed. "Perhaps, you should set one of your daughters up with the boy then? He looked like a nice young man."

"What exactly did you get from that kid?" Tetsuo snapped. "That since he dressed 'nice' that meant he _must_ be a great guy? Can you stop meddling with my personal life, please?"

"Tetsuo –"

"That 'nice young man' looked like nothing but a troublemaker," he huffed irritably. "Did you see that head of hair? He's a total delinquent. It's bad enough that girl has to deal with a brother like that. I don't want any of my girls hanging around pricks."

**X**

On their way back to the dojo, the two spent most of the walk in complete silence. Ryuku couldn't help but notice that even the way her double _walked_ was different compared to her. The other Ryuku strode forward with a bit of a bounce in his step. He even had his arms behind his head with his hands clasped against the back of his neck. His entire demeanor showed anything but the inner turmoil Ryuku was currently experiencing. Neither of them knew how problematic their current situation was. Of course, Ryuku would be the one stressing over everything. But one would think if someone was literally removed from their home they would've shownany other emotion rather than happiness.

How could someone who shared the same name, face, body, and even curse act so different? If they were identical twins, certain differences would've been perfectly understandable. But they weren't twins. They were the same person. Ryuku diverted her attention onto the box she held onto. Now that she had the mirror that started all this trouble, she'd be able to put an end to the endless mischief. Everything would turn back to normal. No one would have to be involved. For once everything was going to be plain and simple.

The other Ryuku was the first person to end the silence. "So," he started causally. "Why'd you drag me all the way out here to fetch a broken mirror?"

Ryuku didn't bother to glance in her double's direction. "This broken mirror is what we need to fix this stupid mess."

"… but it's broken."

"Who cares?" Ryuku hissed. "Just because it's broken doesn't mean we can't fix it."

The other Ryuku heaved a soft sigh, showing he was growing somewhat annoyed by Ryuku. A scowl marred Ryuku's features from the boy's behavior. If anyone was allowed to be irritated it was Ryuku. The other Ryuku hadn't exactly been helpful ever since they left the dojo. All her twin wanted to do was look around Nerima and check the sights, acting as if he was a tourist in a new unfamiliar area. But the other redhead _wasn't_ a stranger to Nerima, unless he lived in a whole other town where he came from (which Ryuku highly doubted).

"Let's say we do fix it," the other Ryuku began. "What if it only makes things worse? Do you really trust in the ability of glue that much?"

Ryuku's jaw clenched. _Why is he asking stupid questions? You'd think he'd be grateful that I found a way to get him out of here._ Through her teeth, she slowly gritted out, doing her best to keep her annoyance from her tone."That doesn't mean we can't try."

"Do what you want," he shrugged. He swung his foot forward, taking a swift hit at a dented soda can on the streets. The can flew over the fence, mostly likely landing into the water canal to join the other trash and filth collected at the bottom. "Just don't get mad when it turns out I'm right and you're wrong."

_Am I really this irritating?_ Ryuku scowled. She refrained from chucking the box at the redhead, who already seemed to radiate a fair amount of smugness on his person.

The other Ryuku moved one of his hands from his pockets to reach for the lid on the box. "Can I see what's inside?"

Ryuku moved away from him. "It's just a box of glass shards."

"Maybe I saw the thing before," he offered. "Who knows? Maybe I even had to deal with the same broken mirror, too!"

"I doubt it," was Ryuku's simple response.

However, the conversation wasn't put to rest, since the other Ryuku hadn't decided it was time to give up. His attempts to peek inside the box were all swatted by Ryuku, who only grew more and more annoyed with her twin's infuriating behavior. Eventually, the redhead smarted up and decided to entertain himself with other things. His pace gradually sped up, as he walked along the side of the fence, before he hopped up and landed onto the railing.

Ryuku kept silence, while she eyed the boy walk along the fence with ease. "… What's the point of that?"

"The point of what?"

"Walking on the fence."

"Pops always did it," was his wistful answer. "So, I copied him. I think I remember him telling me it has something to do with balance or whatever. Honestly, I just thought it was cool," He looked down at Ryuku. "You never tried it?"

Ryuku's shoulders tensed. "Why would I want to? You look stupid."

"I think what you meant to say is that: I look awesome."

_Apparently, I'm obnoxious, too._ Ryuku shook her head. "No, you just look really stupid."

"You're only saying that because you've never tried this yourself."

"That's it exactly," Ryuku spat dryly. "You know me so well."

"Well, you're me, aren't you?" the other Ryuku replied. "Or I'm you. Whatever. Who else would know you better besides yourself?"

"… the sooner we get rid of you the better."

The other Ryuku raised an eyebrow at that. "Someone's impatient," he grumbled. "Am I really that bad?"

Ryuku glared at the back of the other Ryuku's head. "I don't care what you are," she retorted in a fury. "The one thing you don't seem to get is that: you don't belong here!"

"I _do_ get that."

"You aren't even concerned with anything!" Ryuku growled. Her glare focused onto the pigtail attached to his hair. She itched to reach forward to grab onto his braid and then yank him off the fence. Maybe that'd teach him to not take their situation so lightly. "You don't even care that you're somewhere else! Don't you miss _your_ family and friends? _Your _home?"

The other Ryuku stopped his strides forward. "I miss everyone," he murmured. "Why wouldn't I miss them?"

"You don't care."

Without warning, the redhead appeared in front of Ryuku, as if he had popped up out of thin air. Startled by the unexpected presence of her double, Ryuku's response was based purely on reflexes. She moved her hands in front of her, her hold on the small package currently forgotten. A curse left Ryuku's lips when realization finally hit, if she didn't act soon the mirror would end up in an even worse condition, she lurched forward to grab the box. However, the box suddenly disappeared and was suddenly thrust back in her arms. Ryuku grasped onto the box, keeping it closer to her chest, as she blinked at the pair of aviator glasses swinging an inch away from her face.

"I don't know if you've noticed this yet but," the other Ryuku leveled his gaze with Ryuku's. "Even though we're the same person, that doesn't mean we _are_ the same person."

Ryuku forced herself to recover from the shock. "Shut up," she said, refusing to listen to his words. "We're done talking. You can talk all you want when you get back to wherever you came from."

**X**

After a quick stop to the furo, Ryuku busied himself to restore the mirror. Once he sat himself down in the main room, the redhead skimmed over what he had to work with. The amount of broken pieces, which were in various shapes and sizes, were ridiculous. It was like starting a thousand pieced puzzle with a great bundle of patience. The problem was that Ryuku's patience was growing thinner by the second and that he _hated_ puzzles. His twin wasn't offering any assistance with the mirror, as he was too preoccupied with a stupid game show on TV, which was yet another thing Ryuku didn't care for. Ryuku picked up a tube of glue and quickly went to work.

Eventually as time passed, the other Ryuku became bored with whatever was on the television screen, and turned his attention onto his double. He watched as Ryuku carefully glued and even taped pieces of the broken mirror into the right place. Ryuku had already cut himself multiple times on sharp jagged pieces, which did little to ease his tolerance. The other Ryuku held back a comment when he noticed Ryuku pick up a particular sharp shard in his hand. The piece sliced into Ryuku's palm, causing a trickle of blood to trail down his skin. Ryuku harshly inhaled through his nose to keep himself from sputtering long stringed curses.

"You okay over there?" the other Ryuku asked.

In response, Ryuku gave him a cold glare.

"I'll take that as a 'maybe'."

Finally, after a painful and very long process of gluing and taping, Ryuku finished the great mirror puzzle. Wearing a pleased smile, Ryuku lifted the mirror up by the dented handle and glanced over at his twin. Ryuku struggled to remember what had happened shortly after he stared into the mirror himself. Everything that had invaded his mind when his girl and guy copy reentered the mirror did little to help him figure out what had happened to his _own_ body. His mother had explained that he had trouble responding to anyone, or even doing simple actions. It was as if he was in a vegetative state of mind. Recollecting what had happened the last time caused a part of Ryuku to hesitate tampering with the mirror once again. No one could predict what could possibly happen next. But there weren't any other possible solutions at the moment.

With a deep breath, Ryuku asked. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"I'm not exactly sure how this'll work but –"

"Wait a sec!" the other Ryuku called out. "You don't know what could happen."

"What _could_ happen is that you'd leave which would be great!"

"As much as I've enjoyed my welcome here," his twin grunted with a heavy amount of sarcasm. "It's never a good idea to mess with something we don't understand."

"Do you actually want to stay here? Or do you just enjoy being as obnoxious as possible?"

"The point is this could turn into an even bigger mess," the other Ryuku told him. "I mean, what if another one of us pops in? Or _we _get dragged into some other Ryuku's world? We could be worse off."

"Look, we have an option to fix this. If something bad does happen then fine! At least I'll know that I tried to do something before things got even worse."

It was clear that Ryuku had his decision; they were going to follow through with this. "… I guess you're not changing your mind," the other Ryuku sighed. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

"We just look into the mirror."

Right after Ryuku spoke, both of the redheads hesitated. They turned to each other, regarding one another with a brief nod, before glancing down at their less than perfect reflection in the handheld object. Ryuku held his breath, eagerly waiting for something, _anything_ to take place.

Nothing happened.

Ryuku counted to ten in his head. He shut his eyes, praying that when he reopened them he'd be the only one left in the room. When his eyelids slowly open, a sinking feeling settled in Ryuku's stomach, seeing that he was not alone. Unfortunately, the other Ryuku remained where he was.

With a disappointed sigh, Ryuku's hand tightened around the handle. "I guess –"

All of a sudden, the other Ryuku let out an aggrieved bloodcurdling howl. He desperately clutched at his stomach, his fingers frantically grabbing into the material of his shirt. As he curled into a ball, gibberish jumbled out from his mouth. Immediately, Ryuku went to the other's side, checking for the source of his twin's crisis.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, panicked. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" the other Ryuku's screams only increased in volume. "Oh god, you were right I shouldn't have done anything with the dumb thing! I-I just wanted…"

Suddenly, the screams abruptly stopped. Ryuku blinked, confusion washing over his face, as he looked over his twin in concern. The other Ryuku slowly sat up, looking better than ever, while wearing a smug smirk on his lips.

"You said the words I wanted to hear," he laughed boastfully. "_I_ was right."

"You," Ryuku narrowed his eyes on the other redhead. His jaw clenched tightly, gritting his teeth together. "I've never hated myself so much in my life."

"I couldn't resist," the other Ryuku's fit of laughter continued. "You should've seen the look on your face! Well, I mean you could, since we have the same face. But I doubt I'd be able to copy your expression exactly!" When he met Ryuku's glare, his grin only widened. "Hey, at least I got you to loosen up a little! You need to learn to relax."

"How am I supposed to relax with you here?" he snarled. "I'll _relax_ when you get the hell out of here!"

The delight on his twin's face fell. He snatched the mirror from Ryuku's hands. "Fine," he frowned. "I'll look into the stupid mirror again."

**X**

When Ryuku led him back to his bedroom, the other Ryuku made a beeline for the bed and plopped down. The other Ryuku buried his face against Ryuku's pillow, inhaling the wonderful scent of a somewhat clean pillow case. He tilted his head back to exhale, content that he was finally somewhere comfortable. Ryuku's twin went onto his back, shifting around somewhat in order to be _truly_ at ease, and let out a soft sigh. Even if Ryuku's room wasn't anywhere clean as his (which in a way was sad, since he wasn't a very neat person himself), a bed made everything several times better.

The other Ryuku adjusted the pillow beneath his head. "You know, my room looks kind of different," he decided it was best to leave out the clean part, since it proved to be a rather sensitive topic for the redhead. "I think yours is bigger than mine. This room, in my house, used to be the guest room. Which room did this use to be?"

"… This used to be my mom's room."

The other Ryuku looked over towards Ryuku, who had taken a seat at his desk. Ever since they returned to the room, the redhead had been looking at the mirror. He assumed that Ryuku would've tossed the thing away. It was useless to keep around. The mirror's supposed purpose didn't even happen when he looked into it. Ryuku would let out a sad disappointed sigh, before he'd set the mirror down onto his desk. Then after several seconds had passed, Ryuku picked it back up and repeated his previous actions. To ignore Ryuku's gloominess, the other Ryuku occupied himself with juggling wads of paper balls. At first, it proved to be effective enough to block himself away from Ryuku's sour mood. However, his temporary entertainment could only last for so long. He had to do something to cheer himself up. When the umpteenth sigh left Ryuku, his double threw one of the paper balls at him. The crumpled paper bounced off the back of his head and then dropped onto the floor. Ryuku didn't even bother to react.

The other Ryuku heaved a sigh of his own. "Why are you so down?" he finally asked. "Is me being here really bother you so much?"

"… You don't even care."

"How many times do I have to say this? Of course, I care," the other Ryuku huffed; slightly offended that Ryuku couldn't seem to notice that. "I have different ways of coping. I'm not going to mope and cry about being stuck here. That's not going to solve shit."

"Right," Ryuku mumbled sadly. He glared at the mirror, shoving it off of his desk and into the wastebasket below. "Leave the moping and crying to me."

The other Ryuku moved over on the bed, so that he could sit on the edge of the mattress. "How about we do something else?"

Ryuku glanced over his shoulder, sparing his twin a dull look. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we didn't exactly meet on very good terms," the other Ryuku said. "Let's change that!" He hopped off Ryuku's bed to stride over to where the redhead was. His hands grasped onto the back of his chair to spin Ryuku around.

Ryuku kept his eyes downcast. "Change what?"

His double extended his hand out in front of him. "Hello, Ryuku," he greeted with a friendly smile. "My name's Ryuku Saotome, but you can call me Gashu."

Ryuku's eyes left the floor to glance up at himself. "… Gashu?"

The other Ryuku did a little shrug. "Everyone back home calls me Gashu. The name grows on you after ten years. It's kind of weird hearing someone call me Ryuku," his answer did little to ease Ryuku's confusion. "My pops gave me the nickname. He compared my fighting style with gramps. Gramps is brash and mine wasn't… I was elegant or something. Pops said he'd rather I be elegant than brash. Pops liked the nickname and I did, too. So I told people to call me it."

"… Oh," Ryuku's tone was hard to pin. He darted his gaze down to his hands resting on his lap. "That's cool."

"It should help us out, too," Gashu added. "It'd only confuse us more if we were both called Ryuku."

"Good thinking," Ryuku pinched his lips together. "Gashu."

Gashu gently flicked Ryuku's forehead, making the redhead glance up. "Well?"

Ryuku gritted out. "_What?_"

"Now that we've been properly introduced," Gashu started cheerfully. "Shouldn't we get to know each other a little better?"

The rude snort from Ryuku didn't ruin Gashu's cheerful mood. "Why bother?"

"Just work with me, okay?" he playfully nudged Ryuku's arm, hoping some – or even a little bit – of his optimism would rub off onto the redhead. Ryuku could certainly use something to lose that frown from his face. "Ask me something. I mean, you're curious about me right?"

When Ryuku looked ready to give an answer, Gashu eagerly prepared himself for _anything_. "No," Gashu's lips curled into a scowl. "I don't care."

"You're such a liar," He left Ryuku to flop back down onto the bed. "Alright. Fine. Then I'll ask you something, because I can admit that I _am_ curious. I want to know about this place, especially if I'm going to be staying here for… who knows how long."

"Who says I'll answer?"

"You can't just throw in a question! It's not your turn yet," Gashu scoffed, disregarding Ryuku's eye roll. "You and I both know I've got a pigtail," for added emphasis, he picked up his pigtail and rested it on his shoulder. "Earlier you mentioned that you got rid of yours. What I want to know is: why?"

Ryuku swirled his chair back forward to his desk, facing away from his copy. He fidgeted in his seat, fingers clawing at his clothed kneecaps. Hesitantly, he bowed his head, glaring at the mess collected all over the surface of his counter. "… Because he left," he finally murmured tightly. "He left without saying anything to anyone. What could I do? I was only six. A six year old can't do shit." He gnawed at his bottom lip. "The only thing I could do was chop that stupid reminder off. That the last thing I wanted to be was like my dad."

A silence filled the room.

"… Did that help your curiosity?"

"… Pops left us, too," Gashu told him softly. "I guess we shouldn't be surprised that I was six when he left," he sighed. "But the thing is… after two weeks, he came back to the dojo. He told us that he couldn't solve a thing by leaving his family."

Ryuku's teeth nearly tore into his lip. "Was that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I was just talking."

"I think that's enough talking for today."

"But we started to actually talk to each other!" Gashu protested. "Why do you want to stop now?"

"You're the only one who wants to know this shit. I couldn't care less."

**X**

When something was insistently tapping the window, Gashu was awoken from his unintended slumber. Leisurely, Gashu eased himself into an upright position on Ryuku's bed. The double rubbed his palm over his face, as he stretched the kinks out of his legs. Before he had fallen asleep, Ryuku had been in a terrible depressed state of mind. The room was utterly silent save for the adamant tapping next to him. Gashu wondered if Ryuku had left him by himself. His hand dropped onto his lap to browse the room. Ryuku was found still at his desk. The redhead was hunched forward, resting his head on his crossed forearms.

If the scratching on the window had stopped, Gashu would've gotten off the bed and left to give Ryuku time to take it easy. But whoever was on the other side of the glass, desperately wanted to be inside. Gashu moved the curtains aside to see who the visitor was. The window tapper was a light grey furred cat with black stripes decorated all over its fine coat. Somewhat puzzled, Gashu leaned closer towards the window to look over the small feline. Upon closer inspection, Gashu found that one of the cat's eyes was a rich golden color, while the other eye was a stunning shade of azure. In response, the cat simply blinked at him and waited. The double turned away from the window to Ryuku, before he finally opened the window. Immediately, the cat leaped forward and landed onto the bed. The cat looked up at Gashu with its pink nose twitching and its tail slowly swaying from side to side.

The animal's gape was rather unsettling; Gashu felt like the small cat was sizing him up. "I take it this belongs to you?"

A soft meow came from the cat.

At hearing the sound, Ryuku lifted his head up to look behind him. When his eyes landed on the cat, a smile lit up his face. "Seichi!" he left his desk to hoist the cat off his bed. "You finally decided to show up, huh? Probably only came home for food," the cat licked under Ryuku's chin. "Seichi's a guy cat, by the way."

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Sorry. My mistake."

Ryuku's smile slightly drooped when he noted the dreary expression his double wore. "Not a cat person?"

His twin pointed his finger at himself. "Who? Me?"

"Who else am I talking to?"

"I don't really like cats," Gashu confessed with a small shrug. "It's not because Pops is scared shitless of them, if that's what you're thinking. I'm just not much of an animal person."

The redhead paid little attention to Gashu's answer, instead choosing to focus on stroking Seichi's thick fur. "Well, that's good for you," his smile returned when his soft petting elicited a pleased purr from the cat. "Did you enjoy your nap?"

"Actually, yeah, I did," Gashu replied. His voice still sounded somewhat gruff, having just woken up. "I hadn't gotten a decent amount of sleep since I got here," he cleared his throat. "Did you enjoy… whatever you were doing?"

Seichi blinked up at his owner, bewilderment twinkling in his eyes, and then gently pawed at Ryuku's fingers. "I was just… thinking."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I know," Ryuku headed back for his chair, letting Seichi find a comfortable seat on his lap. He checked Seichi's neck, making sure his collar hadn't fallen off, during the cat's last adventure wondering wherever outside. "So, uh," he paused, unsure of how to proceed. "Earlier. You mentioned talking and… stuff."

"What about it?"

Ryuku shrugged. "I guess I am kind of, you know, curious," he muttered softly, almost like he was ashamed admit such a thing. He rubbed his hand over the side of his neck, curling his fingers through the hair at his nape. Briefly, he noted that his hair length was longer than he normally liked, he'd have to schedule a haircut sometime later in the week – when there wasn't a duplicate to deal with. "I don't want to talk."

Said duplicate was unfazed by Ryuku's conditions. Gashu rested his back to the wall next to the bed to slip into a comfortable seating position. "Its fine," he assured him. "You and I both know I'm fine with talking. If you want I can carry the conversation by myself," he laughed. "I wouldn't be going crazy, because I already _am_ talking to myself. Looks like it works out for us either way, right?"

A slight smile went over Ryuku's lips. "You kind of have a point."

"Of course, I do!" Gashu grinned. "So, what do you want to ask me?"

For Ryuku's response, there was a short pause on his part. The redhead decided to pay even more attention to the animal on his lap. On the other side of the room, Gashu remained patient towards the boy. He was eager, willing to answer whatever Ryuku threw at him. The double was already bustling about with energy, since he hadn't exactly been doing anything. Talking was an excellent way to participate in a different sort of activity. However, while Gashu was patient, Ryuku was still being silent. Gashu's grin fell to a frown. Had Ryuku already changed his mind without putting an effort to try first?

Gashu sighed sadly. "Don't tell me you –"

"What were you doing before," Ryuku gestured around him. "You ended up here?"

"That's easy!" was Gashu's excited reply. "I was on a camping trip," he saw Ryuku's backpack left untouched. Everything that had fallen out of his bed hadn't been moved either. It looked like neither of them was planning on unpacking anytime soon. "I guess we both were."

"Yeah," Ryuku mumbled. "I guess you could call it a 'camping trip'."

"It was just me and a couple guys," Gashu said. "Usually, we have a camping trip like every month. The trip is kind of tradition for us. We get a breather from all the craziness in Nerima and we have time to ourselves," It wasn't long until a grin returned on Gashu's lips. "We were all making our way back to our camping spot, when all of a sudden I saw like a flash surrounding me or something. I didn't think much about it at the time. Maybe I should've but I thought it was my friends pulling a prank. We have the habit of pulling jokes on each other at every chance we get, because who doesn't love getting the last laugh? Anyway, after that flash I found myself… alone. I could've sworn we were all together, laughing and joking around and then –_ whoosh!_ – something happened and everyone vanished. Like I said, I thought they were pulling a prank. I mean, I've been ditched by my friends before.

"No one answered to my calls, so I guessed I had to look for them. Well, I didn't really have much luck finding anyone. I figured they were all back at our spot, laughing their asses off at me. When I got back, there was no one else around. I was all alone. I set up camp and waited for them to turn up. But no one did. I figured out that their prank was that they all packed up and left me to myself. We didn't exactly start our trip on the best terms anyway. Everyone was kind of grumpy that I had to leave early, since Pops was planning on a training trip for me and him. So, I headed back home, which was fine with me, since I had to leave early anyway. When I got to the dojo, it was already pretty late. I always came home late when camping with the guys, and I was tired as hell from everything."

Gashu's fingers scratched at his scalp. "I guess the first warning I should've noticed was when I ran into Ma at like three in the morning," he said. "Ma knows I go on trips with the guys. It didn't make any sense that she was worried about me, because she knew where I was. But I was so tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. So I told her to bug me in the morning and once I got to your room, I passed out."

Ryuku tried to keep himself from sounding bitter. "Guess you missed that training trip."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it," Gashu quickly reassured him. "I can catch up on my training here. Besides, now I have a worthy sparring buddy!" His face brightened from the thought of training with Ryuku. None of his friends were anywhere near his level and most of them had given up on trying to fight with Gashu, who easily brought them to a sour defeat. "No one can beat Pops. Gramps is a cheater and not to mention a sore loser, especially since he's setting his ways," Gashu had to pause to snicker when he thought of his last fight with his grandpa. The last time he had sparred with Genma, the old man ended up breaking his back when Gashu casually tossed him over his shoulder. "And as much I enjoy fighting Ryota, it gets kind of boring beating him up all the time."

Ryuku brought up the name he hadn't recognized. "Who's Ryota?"

"Ryota Hibiki," was Gashu's simple answer. "We've been best friends for a long time."

"My best friend's name isn't Ryota," Ryuku said. "It's Ryou. Ryou Hibiki."

"Just because there's a different name doesn't mean they're not the same person," Gashu suggested helpfully. "But this is awesome! With you, me, and Ryota – uh, I mean, Ryou, we'll have like a sparring trio of pure strength!"

Ryuku shook his head. "I don't think so," he said. "Ryou was never really into fighting."

Gashu blinked. "You're joking."

"I'm not," Ryuku mumbled. "Ryou's always been more of a… book nerd."

His double stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Okay. Then I take back what I said before. This Ryou guy _definitely_ isn't my best friend. Ryota wouldn't even think of picking up a book, unless he wanted to sleep behind one during a lecture," Gashu shook his head, offended that his best friend was compared to a geek. "I can't believe you're friends with a book nerd. What kind of best friend would rather read boring stuff than do anything fun?"

"_Hey!_ I don't care what Ryou's interested in. He's still my best friend," Ryuku retorted crossly. Even if he was shouting at himself, no one insulted his best friend. "Ryou's probably the smartest guy I know. Hell, I bet he's smarter than _everyone _combined at Furinkan. I'd rather he be a smartass than a dumbass. Tell me, Gashu, does _Ryota_ know how to read?"

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Ryota may not be the smartest tool in the shed," he said. "But cut the guy some slack, he gets lost _all_ the time! You try to catch up on schoolwork, after you've missed out on a month of school."

"Ryou has a lousy sense of direction, too. And he's still getting better grades than me," Ryuku pointed out smugly. "The only reason he's not with the other smartasses is because they're pricks about absences, missing schoolwork, and unexcused exams."

"Are you guys in the same class?"

"Yeah," Ryuku grunted. "What's your point?"

"It's not like _we're_ any better with school stuff," Gashu said. "Since I'm as dumb as Ryota, the way we pass anything is by cheating off the girl, who sits between us in class. She has a crush on me so she doesn't mind helping me out."

"Don't compare me with you. I'd never resort to cheating," Ryuku growled. "Ryou feels the same way. When he knows I'm struggling with something he helps me out."

Gashu was offended by Ryuku's words. "Hey! I help Ryota! Didn't I just say that I help him out with that smart chick?"

Ryuku snorted. "Maybe you're best friends with Takumi. He probably cheats all the damn time." Inwardly, he scoffed at the mere thought of being even remotely close to the brat. It was insulting to have Takumi and friend in the same sentence together.

"Takumi? Who's that?"

"Takumi Hibiki?" Ryuku sneered, disgusted at having to say Takumi's name more than once. "He's a brat, who unfortunately is Ryou's kid brother."

"Ryota's an only child."

Ryuku's eyes widened at Gashu's answer. "Wait. You mean that the brat doesn't exist where you're from?" Ryuku asked, clearly flabbergasted and envious. "Wow. Do you think when you leave you could take him with you?"

Gashu laughed. "Is there something wrong with the kiddo?"

"That's obviously the wrong question to ask. What you should've said was: What isn't wrong with the brat?" the redhead corrected matter-of-factly. "I won't bother to bore you with all of his flaws."

A snort came from Gashu. "I'm pretty sure I've got plenty of time to spare."

"How about some other time," Ryuku grumbled. "Just thinking of the brat makes me sick to my stomach."

But Ryuku's words had sparked an interest in Gashu. He always did enjoy discovering potential challengers. It was part of the fun of martial arts, learning about the specifics of one's opponent. Being in a different version of his own world brought him many opportunities. Who knew what kind of amazing fighters were aching to meet Gashu Saotome? Clearly, this Takumi brat was going to be one of the first people he introduced himself too, especially since his twin had such a negative reaction towards him.

Gashu was bouncing with anticipation on the inside, but to Ryuku he appeared calm, even if he wore a smirk on his lips. "I have a feeling I'll meet this kid eventually. He sounds kind of interesting," he didn't notice the disturbed look Ryuku wore. "But I don't think Ryota is this Takumi guy. Even if you don't think he is, Ryota's a nice guy."

"Trust me, _anyone's_ better than Takumi."

**X**

While padding down the hallway, Ryuku steadied the plate in his hands, which had half of a hastily made sandwich on it, while the other half of the sandwich was held between Ryuku's teeth. Whatever was slapped between the two pieces of wheat bread spilled out and spread messily all over the plate. The bits that managed to fall off were quickly caught and eaten by Seichi, who was more than happy to clean up any edible messes. Filled with merriment, Seichi trailed after his master, while he playfully scratched at his owner's bare ankles.

The bedroom door was left slightly ajar, since he left to fetch himself something to eat. Ryuku nudged the door open with his feet and entered inside. Gashu was sitting at his desk, absentmindedly glancing over the broken mirror. Given by his profile, Gashu appeared to be in deep thought, as he stared at his mirror image. Wordlessly, Ryuku dropped the plate in front of him. As the plate collided on the wood, the minute impact from Ryuku's drop nearly brought the sandwich onto Gashu's lap. Ryuku finished the rest of his piece in big bites, silently watching Gashu pick up the sandwich.

Gashu ripped out a large bite from his lunch and began to chew. Within a matter of seconds, his face twisted one of repulsion. "This is –"

Ryuku was quick to interrupt, as if he expected Gashu to make a comment. "It's not so bad. Just try not to actually eat it."

"Who made this?"

"I know I'm no gourmet cook, but I can fix a better meal than mom any day of the year."

The double gaped at Ryuku. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Ma's a great cook! I can't get enough of her food!"

Ryuku's expression eerily mimicked Gashu's. "That's a joke, right?"

"Ma's cooking isn't something to joke about!" Gashu told Ryuku firmly. "She's amazing! Are you really saying that Ma isn't a good cook?"

"Okay. Obviously we're not talking about the same person," Ryuku scooped Seichi up in his arms, before he went over to his bed. "Mom was never that great of a cook," he shuddered from the thought of any of Akane's past dishes. "But at least she can boil water."

"If I had known I'd be away from Ma's cooking I would've packed more food with me!" Gashu exclaimed, heartbroken. "I can't imagine going a day without a crammed packed lunch from Ma! All you could ever want came in her bento filled with love!" After letting out a dramatic sigh, he tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. "My stomach will never be content again!"

"Jeez, relax," Ryuku groaned; growing annoyed with Gashu's over exaggeration of despair. "Aunt Kasumi's a great cook. I'm sure she's just as good as your _Ma_."

Gashu cringed from the sudden mention of their eldest aunt. "… Aunt Kasumi?" he dropped the rest of his sandwich onto his plate, no longer hungry. "I never really liked her."

Ryuku stared at him. "Are you serious?" he asked slowly. "You don't _like_ Aunt Kasumi."

"No," Gashu muttered curtly, shaking his head from side to side. "She's not very nice. In fact, now that I think about it, I don't think she's ever really been nice to me." When Gashu looked up at Ryuku, he was startled by the redhead's glare.

"Who are _you_ talking about?" Ryuku asked. "Aunt Kasumi's the nicest and the sweetest person I know! How could you not like her?"

Gashu's shoulders slumped. "Okay," he sighed. "Obviously _we're _not about the same person anymore," Ryuku rolled his eyes but kept silent. Gashu hastily continued their chat with another inquiry. "So, what does your Aunt Kasumi do?"

"… She's a stay-at-home mom. But she spends time at the clinic with Uncle Tofu and helps out there."

"Really? Well, that's nice," Gashu told the redhead. "Mine works at Nerima Hospital as a surgeon."

No matter how hard Ryuku tried, he simply couldn't wrap his head around the idea of Kasumi cutting someone open on an operating table. The image was too absurd. Picturing his aunt wearing wrinkled blood splattered surgeon's scrubs, while she smiled sweetly behind her surgical mask. A chill went up his spine, hearing her amiably tell the person she was operating on "not to worry!", before she moved the scalpel to their chest and then sliced the skin.

Finally, Ryuku managed to mumble out. "… That's different."

"Not for me," Gashu said. "She spends most of her time at the hospital. I guess, she used to be somewhat nicer, and I remember she used to come home earlier. But when Dr. Wasabi showed up, she pretty much became a total bitch."

Ryuku winced at his double's choice of wording but chose not to comment on it. Gashu wasn't talking about the Aunt Kasumi who Ryuku had grown up with. He was speaking of his own, who _he_ had personally grew up with, which was perfectly justifiable. However, associating Kasumi with the word, Gashu chose to describe his aunt, still felt wrong. The name of the doctor Gashu mentioned, Dr. Wasabi, sounded familiar. Of course, it didn't take long for Ryuku to make the connection. Dr. Wasabi was the very same doctor, who had operated on him after his little 'fun adveture' with a certain annoying brat.

"I can understand why she's not as nice as she used to be – not that she was very nice to being with – but I guess I wouldn't be very happy either, if some woman wouldn't quit hanging all over my husband."

"… Your Aunt Kasumi married Uncle Tofu, right?"

Gashu nodded. "But their marriage is less than perfect. Uncle doesn't encourage Dr. Wasabi's advances, but he doesn't exactly stop them either."

"Wait. Why wouldn't Uncle do anything about Dr. Wasabi? He's crazy about Aunt Kasumi."

"I'm sure he likes her enough," Gashu shrugged. "But I don't think he's that crazy about her. Ma told me that Aunt Kasumi had the biggest crush on Uncle when she was still in high school. Apparently, she used to get really giggly and ditzy whenever she was around him. The whole thing drove Ma crazy, especially since Uncle never seemed to notice her crush at all. He's always been clueless about that stuff, according to Ma."

"That's not what happened here," Ryuku started. "Uncle was the one who was crushing on Aunt Kasumi. Whenever she showed up at the clinic, he always acted like a completely different person. People were warned to stay away from him when he was like that. My mom told me, he'd run all over Nerima with his skeleton Betty on his back every time she visited him."

"Really? That's pretty funny," Gashu snickered lightly. "Ma told me, Aunt Kasumi would go home and nearly burn the dojo down when she cooked."

Ryuku blinked. "That's hard to imagine."

"Well, like I said, I'm sure Uncle likes her well enough, even if his wife ad to make the first move," Gashu stated with another shrug. "But I'm sure they'll be okay. Maybe. Who really knows?" his twin reached forward to balance a pencil on his nose. "Michiru and Miyuki aren't taking the whole thing very well."

"Michiru and Miyuki? Who are they?"

"They're my cousins," was Gashu's simple response. He wrinkled his nose, causing the pencil to fall onto his chest. The double didn't bother to pick it up. "Michiru's a year younger than me and Miyuki just turned thirteen. We're not very close."

"Then I take it that Misaki doesn't exist." What would it be like to live in a word where his cousin wasn't even born? A disconcerting feeling settled in Ryuku's stomach from the atrocious question. Ryuku refused to dwell on the thought for very long.

"Misaki?"

"She's my cousin," After a beat, the redhead added. "She's thirteen, too."

"Oh," was all Gashu said. "I guess she doesn't. The name doesn't sound very familiar. I don't think you mean Aunt Nabiki's kids…"

"She has kids?"

"Yours doesn't?"

"… actually, I have no idea," Ryuku mumbled. _I only met her a few months ago._

"Well, mine does," Gashu shrugged again. "I'm not very close with them either. But they're a bit nicer than Aunt Kasumi's brats."

Ryuku mimicked Gashu's earlier gesture. "I'm close with Misaki. She's like a kid sister to me."

"That's good for you," his twin told him offhandedly. "I don't really get along with 'fresh teenagers'. It probably doesn't help that think they're better than me – Michiru and Miyuki that is, I'm not sure what Yukio and Keiji think of me."

"I think I'm fine with the one cousin."

"Keiji's kind of a prick. Maybe I'm being too nice. He's a total money hungry prick," Gashu spat. "He takes pictures of my girl form and sells them behind my back. But I managed to get the jerk to give me part of his profit."

Ryuku's face scrunched up. "Guys buy pictures of you?"

"I was disturbed by it too, but when you think about it I guess I can't really blame them," a sly smirk played over Gashu's lips. "We make pretty hot chicks. Our curse doesn't _have_ to be a bad thing; we should be able to use it to our advantage! Otherwise, they'd totally be useless to have! Besides, guys are willing to do just about anything for a cute _and_ busty girl."

A revolted expression twisted Ryuku's features. "That's… disgusting."

"No, it's not. It's perfectly reasonable," Gashu stated. "Don't tell me _you_ never tried anything."

"Never," Ryuku grunted. "And I don't plan on changing that."

"Jeez, you're acting like I committed a crime or something! If it makes you feel any better, I've tricked girls too."

"You've 'tricked' girls?"

"Lots of times," Gashu admitted albeit a tad too easily. He sat up in his seat, dropping the pencil on top of the desk, and lifted up the mirror. As he stared at himself, he ran his fingers through his hair. "If there's a girl I like, what better way to learn about her by being a friend? You know, girls tell each other just about everything. Besides, it's not like I'm doing anything bad. I don't tell anyone else about what they tell me. Well, okay, I tell Ryota stuff, but he knows how to keep his mouth shut."

"If Keiji's a prick, you must be a bigger one," Ryuku remarked coldly. "I can't believe you think I'd do the same things as you."

"_Please_, spare me the righteous act," Gashu rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you've done something just as bad. Don't pretend you haven't."

"I haven't."

"Why don't you think about it for a bit, before throwing out a half-assed answer?" his twin suggested with a grin. He began to comb his hair, paying particular attention to his bangs. "So what if I use guys to get free stuff? They'd do it for any other chick. Just because I trick girls, doesn't make me a jerk, I don't take advantage of them or anything. I'm pretty sure other people like us do the same thing! Heck, look at gramps! Pops does stuff, too!"

"Even if they take advantage of their curse, doesn't mean I have."

Gashu threw something over his shoulder. "I don't believe you."

Ryuku's hand jolted up and caught whatever Gashu had thrown at him effortlessly. In his hand, he held onto the broken mirror. A shard of glass landed on Seichi, who hissed and moved off of Ryuku's lap. Ryuku picked the shard up, gritting his teeth together when his skin was sliced by the glass. "I don't care what you believe."

"Does Ryou have his pops's curse?"

"Why does that matter?"

"It matters because Ryota uses his curse the same way as me," Gashu explained cheerfully. "The girls at school love the cute little piglet that wanders around the halls. They think he's a great mascot for Furinkan," when all he received in return from Ryuku was silence, Gashu was more than happy to continue speaking. "I was just wondering, since Ryou's so smart, I'm sure he realizes how to use his curse to his advantage."

All the blood rushed to Ryuku's face, his cheeks blistering hot. His thoughts were muddled and confused. Suddenly, he heard a shatter. Ryuku looked down at the floor, shattered pieces of glasses littered the floor; he had smashed the mirror. The mirror's handle was bent and the tacky jewels that decorated the back of the mirror had fallen out. _What the hell did I just do? _He noticed Seichi was panicked behind him.

He looked up to see Gashu's intense gaze. "What'd you do that for?"

Ryuku swallowed the lump in his throat, waiting for his intense emotions to subside. The redhead padded over to the door. "Let me show you your room."

**X**

Loud creaks escaped from the door's hinges when Ryuku swung the door open. From behind Ryuku, Gashu looked over his shoulder to see what he'd be calling his new room. The room was literally covered in cobwebs and various sized dust bunnies. Gashu's nose wrinkled at the musk. One could easily tell that the room hadn't been occupied in years. Ryuku was the first one to enter the room. He headed for the closet, roughly shoving the door aside, while he appeared to be searching for something. Moments later, Ryuku pulled out a rather large futon. Once it was unrolled, a thick blanket of dust was thrown out and showered the wooden floors. Ryuku tossed the daybed onto the middle of the room. He clapped his hands off, removing the dust and other grime off his hands.

Gashu threw his belongings in front of the open closet. As he made his way to the futon, he stomped on the bugs crawling around on the floor. He knelt down next to his new bed, smacked his palm onto it, which casted even more dust into the air. There was an itching sensation at the back of his throat, he doubled over and cough to ease the irritation. "Home sweet home," Gashu said weakly. "I've loved what you done with the place."

"We don't have many guests."

"That's surprising," Gashu commented dryly. "Maybe if you cleaned up the place, people would consider sticking around."

"I heard you the first time."

"The place is a dump."

He rolled his eyes. "Since you'll be here for awhile, I guess you can clean up this so called dump."

Gashu shook his head. "I'm good."

"There won't be much else to do around here."

Gashu clapped his hand onto his neck, killing the insect that had just started feasting on his flesh. "What? Are you going to keep me locked up or something? I'll go crazy!"

"You're not going anywhere! Do you really think it'll be easy to explain this to people?" Ryuku shouted. "That's not even the most difficult part! How am I supposed to hide you from mom?"

He heaved himself off of the futon, already regretting his decision to lie on his supposed bed. "Why do I have to hide from her?" Gashu groaned. "Can't we just tell her the truth? I'm sure she'll understand. Somewhat. Who knows maybe she can help us out?"

"I'm not taking any risks. I've got enough problems to deal with. I honestly don't need you to be even more of one."

"So what am I supposed to do? Sit here and rot?"

"I'm not saying we have to keep this a secret forever," Ryuku huffed. "We don't know how long you're going to be here. I don't want mom to see you, because then you'll have to explain that dad's with you. I don't know how she'd react. What if she wants to ask things? I don't want you to vanish in thin air. She'll be a wreck. She doesn't need more things to stress about."

"_Fine_. We'll keep me a secret," Gashu bit out reluctantly. "But if this drags on for too long, I'm doing whatever I want. I don't care what you say."

"This gives us time to find out how you got here," Ryuku added. "And to get you the hell out of here."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Gashu waved his hand at Ryuku, brushing away his statement. "I forgot how much of a nuisance I am! Jeez, it's not like I'm Happosai or anything."

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "I guess, I'll leave you to yourself for a bit. I think we both need some times to ourselves."

"Whatever."

As Ryuku went up to the door, he turned to say. "So, you must be pretty well liked back home."

"Are you asking if I'm popular?" Gashu asked. "I don't know about popular exactly, but I've got lots of friends… and lots of admirers," he shrugged. "What about you? I'm sure you've got a good life here. Aside from… stuff going on at the dojo."

There was a brief pause, before Ryuku said. "Like I said, I'll leave you alone."

"Alright," he said, thinking nothing of Ryuku's response. "I could use some shuteye. Guess we'll talk more later?"

"… Yeah."

**X**

During his brief walk back to his bedroom, Ryuku thought over everything he had discussed with his double. No one could have a perfect life. Not even Gashu. Gashu didn't get along very well with his cousins, nor was he very close with his other relatives. Ryuku still couldn't get over how different he was compared to his twin. Aside from some minor differences in appearance, they looked exactly alike to the dot. But they didn't act like each other at all. It was difficult to believe they were the same person. Was the way Gashu acted akin to the way their father acted?

Ryuku slammed his door shut and headed directly for his bed. He plopped down onto his stomach, ignoring Seichi sleepily nuzzling his side. The redhead's thoughts eventually went back to the thing that bothered him the most: his _father_ was home. Ranma Saotome had stayed with his family. He had left but he returned in the end. It was an entirely different ending to a similar story. Ryuku touched where his pigtail once was. He hadn't hesitated when he had cut it off. Gashu was given a nickname from his father. If he had stayed would his father had done the same? Gashu hadn't quit martial arts. He had years compared to him, and he assumed Ryuku was on the same level as him? He was surely humoring him. Was it evident that he was a poor fighter? That he would only bring nothing but shame to the Saotome name?

Suddenly, an uncontrollable trembling overcame him, his palms burned from his nails digging into his flesh. There was no point. What did he think would happen? After one stupid training trip, he'd be as good as his dad? Ryuku's laugh was hollow. He punched his pillow. _I was stupid thinking anything. Grandpa doesn't know anything. If he met Gashu, there'd be a grandson worth being proud of_.

Ryuku scooted away from his cat to shift onto his back. His eyes looked up to the ceiling. "… He's everything I could've, _should've_ been."

Seichi moved onto Ryuku's stomach. The cat stared down at his owner's eyes, before he curled up into a ball and decided it was time for a catnap. Ryuku wanted to get up and _do_ something. He wanted to pick up everything intact and throw it against something. But he stayed where he was and watched Seichi fall asleep. Ryuku wouldn't bother to take a nap of his own. There were too many things cluttering his mind for him to rest.

"… He has a dad."


	23. Ch 17: Cordial Invitations in the Mail

**Chapter 17:** Cordial Invitations in the Mail

Living under the same roof as Gashu had been anything but easy. It was difficult to believe only one week had passed, in fact, it felt more like an eternity than anything. It wasn't even the little things that bothered Ryuku. He didn't care about Gashu's constant complaints about the smell of his futon, how he needed a special pillow for his neck, or the dust affected his sinuses. Or when Gashu banged on Ryuku's bedroom door at two o'clock in the morning – after spending his first official night in _Ryuku's _Nerima – his face, neck and arms covered with bug bites and announced he was bunking with Ryuku, until all the insects in his room was exterminated.

Ryuku remained care less even when Gashu kept him up all night about things he didn't care about. Ryuku didn't utter out a single complaint when _he_ had to clean-up Gashu's room (according to Gashu's logic: the host had to take care of the guest). He plastered on the biggest fake smile on his face and kept silent through it all. The only thing that riled the redhead was that nothing seemed to cure Gashu's boredom. Gashu constantly dragged Ryuku into his room, suggesting they talk or play a board game or train. Ryuku couldn't understand how Gashu didn't seem to understand that they weren't friends. Even if they were the same person that didn't automatically make them _anything_.

For the past week, Ryuku actually looked forward to going to school. Gashu had attempted to convince Ryuku to stay home, claiming he'd die from boredom if he left him by himself. This made Ryuku all the more excited to leave. Despite the schoolwork, the students, and his reputation – Ryuku relished the time spent away from his double. Furinkan High School was now the perfect haven.

Ryuku found himself at lunch with his friend Ryou. The redhead could hear Ryou talking to him; or in better words _at_ him, since Ryuku wasn't exactly paying close attention to his best friend. Ryuku rested his back onto the tree behind him. The teen pondered if he should climb up the trunk and spend the rest of lunch up in the branches. A yawn left Ryuku's lips. As he wiped the tears that had gathered in his eyes, he decided a nap sounded good right now.

"You're not listening to a single word I'm saying are you?"

"… Yeah," Ryuku answered, without really listening to his best friend's question. A moment later, he blinked and then sent a glare at the boy front of him. "Yeah, I _am_ listening."

There was a glint in Ryou's eyes. Having known his best friend for more than a couple of years this meant that: Ryou was annoyed but he wasn't going to flat-out admit it. The lost boy would rather make the person, or more specifically _Ryuku_, apologize for being a nuisance. But Ryou should know by now that Ryuku wouldn't do that.

With a frown set on his lips, Ryou asked. "Then what was I talking about?"

Ryuku shrugged. "You were probably going on about your favorite Amazon," he tapped his finger on his chin. As an afterthought, he added. "Or, you know, you could've been talking about _some_ other girl, which I seriously doubt."

The lost boy shook his head, letting out a gloomy sigh. "Sometimes I wonder how I put up with you for so long."

"I often wonder that myself."

Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's not like you actually were –"

The rest of Ryuku's sentence was blocked out by a familiar cry, which immediately caused Ryou to straighten his posture, while Ryuku heaved an annoyed groan. "_Ryuku!_"

Without warning, Ryuku found his lap being occupied by a very perky Amazon, who had already latched onto him in a one-sided hug. "Ryu, I've missed you so much!" Lotion leaned forward to peck Ryuku's lips, but he turned his head to the side. "Spending all that time with you was," she trailed off into a bubbly giggle. "I don't want to mention anything that'll embarrass you."

Ryou glanced suspiciously between the two. "Mention what?" he asked uneasily. "What's embarrassing, Ryuku?"

"Don't listen to her," Ryuku was quick to assure him. He managed to remove Lotion's arms from his neck, but struggled to remove her from his lap. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

It wasn't difficult for Lotion to slip out of Ryuku's clutches; she placed her hands over his shoulders and nuzzled his neck. "How can you say that?" she whined with a soft sniffle. "I _do_ know what I'm talking about! I _do_ know how I feel! Ryuku, I –"

Ryuku clapped his hand over her mouth, abruptly silencing the Amazon. "This is lunch time, not some weird confession time," As he removed his hand, he noticed the disgruntled pout on Lotion's lips. He rolled his eyes, unfazed by her attempts for sympathy. "Would you get off of me?"

Lotion's pout curled into a catlike smirk. She shifted on Ryuku's lap, turning to completely face the redhead, and draped her arms around his shoulders. "Do you really want me to get off of you?"

"_Yes._"

"Oh! You didn't even stop to think about it!" Lotion complained, playfully smacking the back of Ryuku's neck.

"Get off already."

After letting out a huff, Lotion moved to occupy the spot on the right side of Ryuku. It wasn't long before her face lit up with a grin. "Speaking of lunch," she chirped cheerfully, while she brought out a pink plastic container and placed it on her lap. "I brought you something I know you'll love."

Ryuku warily eyed the container. For all he knew, the Amazon could've laced the food with something. He still hadn't forgotten about the strange cup of tea, which flushed his entire body with a powerful surge of negative emotions. Even if Lotion had saved him, he couldn't really _trust_ her. Amazons were sneaky. "I'm sure you did."

Wearing a confident smile, Lotion removed the lid and thrust the small box in front of him. Still feeing wary, Ryuku skimmed over what was placed inside. He had expected to see an extravagant assortment of food crammed into ridiculously tiny spaces. But all that was laid out for him were six simple rice balls.

Lotion nudged Ryuku's chest with the box. "Do you like it?"

If he _did_ pick one up, the Amazon would jump to a weird conclusion. She'd think it meant something, that he _liked_ her back. His stomach noisily growled. The only time he had eaten regularly was during his grandpa's training trip. Ever since he had returned back home, it wasn't long before he shifted back to his old eating habits: eating one, two, or even no meals a day. Ryuku pressed his hand over his stomach, acting as if the action would "shut up" the organ's sounds.

Ryuku kept his gaze locked onto the food. He didn't want to see the expression on the Amazon's face. A soft defeated sigh left his lips; Ryuku swallowed his pride and reached his hand forward for a rice ball. It wouldn't mean anything if he only ate one. After taking a hesitant first bite, Ryuku chewed slowly, still avoiding eye contact with Lotion. In the end, the redhead finished his snack after four bites, and went for another.

Lotion giggled smugly. "See?" she tapped his chin, making him look into her eyes. "I told you I know what you like! Wouldn't I make a wonderful wife?"

He refused to comment, instead choosing to focus on the half-eaten rice ball in his hand. It was when he reached for another rice ball that Ryuku finally noticed his best friend had disappeared. "When did…" he stopped to mutter a curse under his breath.

Ryuku already knew why Ryou had left. It was stupid that he hadn't paid closer attention to his best friend. Ryou was always overly sensitive with anything relating to the Amazon, especially when she wouldn't keep her hands off of Ryuku.

"Shit," Ryuku groaned. "He'll probably get himself lost if I don't find him," he climbed onto his feet, brushing grass and dirt off his pants as he did so. "I gotta go."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"You'll probably make things worse."

Lotion's lips curled into a frown. "That's not very nice, Ryu," she said, although in a matter of seconds she was smiling once again. "Will you at least give me a goodbye kiss?"

"No way," Ryuku grumbled. "I'd rather not."

"You're so mean!"

Before he left, Ryuku eyed the leftover rice balls he hadn't gotten to eat yet. Without a second thought, Ryuku snatched the box from Lotion's hands and went off to find his best friend. There was no point letting good food go to waste.

**X**

The hallways tended to be less cluttered during lunch, which would make it a lot easier to find Ryou, if he even found the school building. Ryuku sauntered down the hallway, casually tossing and catching the now empty plastic container. Of course, the students who did stay in the halls openly gawked at him as he walked past them. Ryuku shrugged off the whispers and the horrified gasps surrounding him. If he did want to make them shut up, all he had to do was send a nasty glare their way.

Once he reached the end of the hall, Ryuku stopped to briefly ponder where he'd find Ryou. The last few times Ryou had gotten lost at school, he had found his friend at a variety of places. A light snicker left Ryuku's lips when he recalled the time Ryou stumbled into the girl's locker room. Fortunately for the lost boy, the lockers were completely empty. Not sure what else to do, Ryou had sent a long frantic text to Ryuku, and set up camp in an empty locker while he waited for his rescuer.

Ryuku shook his head. _If Ryou was in the locker room, he would've texted me something by now._ He brought out his phone, flipped it open, and found to his annoyance that the only texts he received were all from Gashu. When he went home, he'd have to find out how Gashu got his number (or managed to get a cell phone for that matter).

He checked the time on his phone. There wasn't much time left for their lunch break. At this point, it was safe to assume that Ryou wasn't in the school building, which meant he was officially lost. Ryuku mumbled curses, as he turned the corner, and walked down the hall. Maybe if he was lucky Ryou hadn't gotten himself too lost. Further up ahead, Ryuku could hear the faint laughter of a girl.

Ryuku lifted his gaze off the floor. His eyes landed on a couple talking in front of the lockers. Immediately, Ryuku recognized the girl who continued to laugh at the guy's animated antics. It was Ayano, who was smiling and laughing way too much. Ryuku's grip on the container tightened, as he neared the two teens. Ayano's cheerful laughter pierced his hearing, like a dog whistle. If he threw the box at the lockers, the noise would be loud enough to shut her up.

_But I wouldn't want to be the one to ruin her _fun, Ryuku told himself indignantly. He picked up his pace and sped past the pair, momentarily forgetting about the whereabouts of his best friend.

**X**

The door slammed shut behind him after he walked through the doorway. Ryuku shucked off his shoes, carelessly tossing them at the entryway, and headed for the main room. He could hear the television all the way down the corridor. Obnoxious laughter and cheering accompanied the fuming redhead, while he continued forward. Ryuku found Gashu lounged in front of the TV with snacks piled up in front of him. His double tilted his head back, chewing vigorously, and for a suitable greeting waved at Ryuku.

"Where did you get my number?" was Ryuku's greeting. He whipped his phone in front of Gashu's face, showing the twenty-five unread texts on his small screen.

Gashu swallowed his mouthful of food, before he answered. "Does it really matter?" his tongue licked at his bottom lip, wiping away crumbs. "You know, you could've sent me a text asking that."

Ryuku dropped his schoolbag onto the table and plopped onto the floor. He groaned, seeing a game show being shown on the television set. Gashu turned his attention back to the show. This time it was his turn to let out a groan, when Ryuku snatched the remote from his hands to turn down the volume.

"I can't hear anything!"

"Are you kidding?" Ryuku hissed. "I could practically hear the audience cheering from outside! Way to keep a low profile, dummy!"

"So," Gashu began, he plopped a handful of chips into his mouth. As he chewed, he continued to speak through his mouthful. "I almost caught got by Ma today."

Ryuku made a face, annoyed from what Gashu had said and disgusted from the specks of chewed-up food flying from his mouth.

"What's with that look?" Gashu asked after he swallowed. "Did you not hear what I said? I was _almost_ caught. My cover wasn't blown yet. Calm down, Red."

Ryuku raised one of his eyebrows. "_Red_?"

"I figured since you were calling me by my nickname, I could give you one," Gashu told him. "'Sides, when I thought about it calling someone _else_ Ryuku, it felt kind of freaky. But, yeah, Red is a cool nickname, right?"

"Not really," Ryuku spat. "I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not the only one in this room with red hair."

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. I'll work on the nickname."

"Who even said I wanted a stupid nickname?"

"You'll change your mind once I think of the perfect one," Gashu laughed. "Anyway, it pains me to say this, but I cleaned around a _little_ bit. Enough for me to get some breathing room anyway… and I kind of left the dojo."

"_What?_" Ryuku gritted out. "Didn't I –"

"Actually, if I remember correctly," Gashu said. "You only said that Ma couldn't find out about me, not that I couldn't leave the dojo."

"I'm pretty sure it was obvious that you were supposed to stay here."

"Relax, Red," Gashu huffed. "I wasn't even gone for that long. All I did was jog around. I made sure to be properly disguised. Do you really think I'm that stupid?" after a beat, Gashu added. "Wait. Don't answer that."

"… As long as you're not attracting any sort of attention," Ryuku said. "I guess it's alright."

"See? I knew you'd see it my way," Gashu grinned. "Anyway, when I came back I couldn't help but notice the amount of mail shoved in your mailbox," he hopped up and left the room. He returned carrying a garbage bag and tossed it onto the table, knocking Ryuku's schoolbag onto the floor. "How lazy are you guys? You really shouldn't let it get piled up like that. You'll miss important stuff that way like, I don't know, _bills_?"

Ryuku ignored Gashu and busied himself by sorting through the mail. Nearly everything was addressed to his mother, which wasn't really surprising considering she was the _owner_ of the dojo. When he grabbed another handful of mail, a pink envelope fell off the table and onto his lap. Ryuku discovered that the envelope was addressed to him. He looked at the unfamiliar address, before he opened it and took out a card.

He looked over the card in his hand, flipping it over this way and that. The card was a lighter shade of pink than the envelope. A purple ribbon held the folded flaps of the card in place, obscuring the neatly printed words. Ryuku untied the ribbon, letting the flaps fall to the side, and read the words listed on the page. A mixture of emotions suddenly clouded his mind. Ryuku crumpled the card into a ball and chucked it across the room.

Gashu caught it as the paper ball whizzed past his head. "What's this?" he uncurled the card, smoothed the wrinkles out, and then read the card aloud. "'_We are proud to announce the wedding of Megumi Amori…'_"

Ryuku drowned out the rest of Gashu's words, refusing to hear beyond that again.

When Gashu finished, he wrapped the ribbon around on his index finger. He wiggled his digit around, watching the card sway back and forth. "Looks like Megumi's finally getting hitched, huh?"

The redhead bit the inside of his cheek, holding back a retort. Begrudgingly, he continued to sort through the mail.

"I'm guessing she used to babysit you, too?"

"… Yeah, she did."

"I never expected to ever see one of these, especially from _her_ of all people," Gashu turned away from the TV to carefully set the wedding invitation on the table. "I didn't think Megumi would decide to finally settle down."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the question left Ryuku's lips, before he could even decide if he _really _wanted to know Gashu's response.

"It's just," his twin went silent. He nudged his pigtail aside to rub at the back of his neck. "I'm not sure if I should say anything. I don't want to piss you off."

Ryuku frowned. "You always piss me off," he informed him wryly. "So, you might as well tell me."

"That's not true," Gashu disagreed. "Did you forget? We had a lovely talk the other night," The glare that was sent Gashu's way made a sigh leave his twin's lips. "You really know how to make a guy feel special."

"You're pissing me off," Ryuku said. "I thought you didn't want to do that."

Gashu's lips pressed into a thin line, before he retreated back to the TV. "Okay. Fine," he took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto the screen. "Megumi was kind of… all over the place. Whenever she babysat me, she'd take me along with her to meet her boyfriend of that week. I'd be in the boyfriend's apartment or whatever, watching TV and eating junk food, and… well, a kid pretends not to hear stuff they don't understand."

When all he received in return was a tense stillness, Gashu accepted this as his cue to continue. "And, of course, even as a kid I thought she was the sexiest woman alive," he clucked his tongue, shaking his head somewhat. "But she was a desperate girl. She always needed to have a guy. She did anything to be able to have some guy look at her, even if he was a total jerk to her. I guess she needed the attention or something. Every time a guy broke up with her she'd be a total wreck. I remember she'd pull me towards her, wrap her arms around me, and just cry all over me. Of course, I wanted to make her feel better. I didn't like seeing her feel like that. But I couldn't really do anything, even as a martial artist."

"T-That's not true," Ryuku breathed out. "You… You could've done _something_."

"When she couldn't get a guy, she'd get _really _desperate," Gashu murmured lowly. "Megumi would let me sit on her lap, whisper stuff in my ear, and I loved every bit of the attention. Why wouldn't I? I was making her happy. She wasn't sad anymore. She'd kiss me and then sometimes she wanted me to be the one to kiss her. She was my first kiss, you know."

Ryuku waited, holding a bated breath, his hands grabbed onto the fabric of his pants. He didn't want to hear anymore, but he couldn't speak – he was filled with jealousy, envy, disgust and every other emotion that was pulsing through his veins.

"Eventually, kisses weren't enough for her," Gashu said. "Megumi wanted… more and I –"

"_Shut up!_" Ryuku exclaimed at the top of his lungs, slamming his palms onto the table. "What kind of shit is this? Do you really expect me to believe that Megumi was," he shook his head, ridding the notion from his mind. "She wouldn't do anything like that. You're making this up."

"See? I told you that you'd –"

"Take it back! Take everything you said about her back!"

"I warned you!" Gashu retorted. "I told you you'd get pissed off!"

"Of course, I'm pissed off! You're saying Megumi… that she…" he glared at the TV, wishing every single person on the screen cheering would finally shut up. "She's not some sick pervert."

"Well, I'm sorry but what I said _was_ the truth," Gashu said. "And this also means I was right."

Silently, Ryuku climbed onto his feet and left the room. The cheers of the TV blasted loudly behind Ryuku.

"Wait!" Gashu called after him. "Red, you can't just leave like that!"

**X**

By the time Gashu had caught up with the redhead, Ryuku had already locked himself up in his bedroom. Gashu rattled the doorknob around, while he furiously pounded his other hand on the door. Ryuku wouldn't be able to handle the racket. It wouldn't be long before Ryuku would _have_ to let him in, unless he actually wanted Gashu to keep causing a commotion. If he kept this up, Gashu hoped his double wouldn't grow even more irritated when he ripped the door off its hinges (it wouldn't be the first time that happened).

"Come on, Red!" Gashu increased the volume of his knocking. "Let me in and we'll talk it out!"

"Would you just go away?"

Gashu pressed his ear onto the door; nearly missing Ryuku's muffled remark from the other side. "I will once we talk it out!"

"Isn't it obvious that I don't want to talk to you?"

Heaving a sigh, Gashu peeled himself off the wood and sprinted for the guest room. He threw his jacket onto the futon, while he headed for the open window, and hopped outside. The lithe martial artist climbed onto the rooftop. Once he reached the top, he clapped the dust off his hands, before he broke into a dash. In an impressive matter of seconds, Gashu made it across the roof, and landed in front of Ryuku's windowsill. Gashu did his best to mimic Seichi's insistent knock, when he tapped his finger onto the glass.

When the curtains were pushed away, Gashu prepared a charming grin for the redhead. Normally, his "killer grin" worked best on the opposite sex (and occasionally the same sex as well). Even the bitchiest girl in school cracked a smile for him, after he had sent a grin her way. If a stuck-up bitch like Naori Makanai couldn't resist Gashu's charm, then Ryuku couldn't be hard to persuade either. Maybe if he wasn't too whiny Gashu wouldn't mind teaching Ryuku a thing or two about charm.

Gashu blinked at the cold glare he was given. _Well, I guess _I _wouldn't fall for the grin either._ His grin faltered slightly but he was quick to recover. Gashu formed a heart with his thumbs and index fingers. "Turn that frown upside down?"

Ryuku rolled his eyes, mouthing the word "dumbass", but despite his evident displeasure, he opened the window. Not wanting to risk Ryuku changing his mind, Gashu quickly leapt through the window and landed on Ryuku's bed. The redhead stood next to the mattress, his arms crossed over his chest, and his head tilted slightly back. He stared down at his twin through his eyelashes, waiting expectantly for Gashu to speak.

Gashu let his back fall onto the wall behind him. "I'm not apologizing for what I said."

When Ryuku's mouth opened, Gashu mentally geared up for the retort Ryuku would send his way. But then his twin snapped his mouth shut, his piercing glare tore through Gashu unnervingly. Ryuku left the room without uttering a single word.

"Red, where are you going now?" Gashu shouted after Ryuku's retreating figure. "Don't keep walking away from me!"

With a small shake of his head, Gashu glanced away from the door and noticed things frantically scattered along the floor and on the edge of Ryuku's bed. _Jeez, Red, way to be a slob._ His fingers picked up a wrinkled envelope. As he looked it over, he saw the envelope was completely blank. _Is there anything even in here?_ Gashu slipped his finger into the small packet and found what Gashu assumed to be a letter. When he unfolded the papers, he idly glanced at the messy scrawl over the faded pages. It was a long handwritten letter; each page had a lengthy message on both sides, it was meant for Megumi.

_Guess he didn't have enough confidence to ever mail it to her_, Gashu thought to himself as he put the letter back inside the envelope. As Gashu picked up and looked over the other things laid out (postcards, letters, even more unsent letters, countless photographs, small trinkets and the list continued on and on). After finishing another letter, Gashu stared at the photograph in his other hand. The photo depicted a young Ryuku at what appeared to be a carnival, holding a large stuffed panda. Megumi was behind the adolescent redhead, her arms wrapped tight around his torso, her chin rested on his shoulder. The two wore matching grins.

Gashu pinched the bridge of his nose, while he dropped everything from his lap onto the bed. _Well, don't I feel like a prick._ He crawled off the mattress, his feet landing onto the wooden floor with a dull thump, and left the room to find his double. It wasn't hard to find where Ryuku had run off to, since there was no real reason why he'd have to leave the dojo. There were only so many places Ryuku could call a suitable spot around their home. Gashu was positive that he'd be able to locate more hiding spots than Ryuku ever could.

Playing epic games of Hide-and-Seek with his pops enabled him to become the master of the game. Whenever Ma was riled up when Gashu did something bad (like when he accidently broke the vase Grandma Nodoka bought his parents as a wedding present), she couldn't find her son anywhere, even with Pop's reluctant help. In the end, Ma had no choice but to give up, and announced that if Gashu wouldn't show himself he'd be grounded for life. Needless to say, despite the fact that his Ma couldn't find his hiding spot, he still ended up being punished (but at least he had managed to do so without the verbal lashing).

The redhead was hunched over a rock, surrounding the koi pond outside. There were a handful of pebbles in his hand; he tossed a pebble into the water every now and then, before he'd slowly rock himself back on forth on the balls of his feet.

Gashu stood behind Ryuku, staring down at what was left of the pond. "Whoa," he said. "What happened to all the koi?"

Ryuku turned his head slightly, glancing up at Gashu with an unreadable glint in his eyes, before he faced forward once again.

"Why'd you let the place go?" Gashu couldn't help but ask. He didn't expect an answer, so he continued to speak. "Not even the koi pond back home is _this _bad. I was always surprised the fish could survive with all the people that get thrown in there. _Especially_ when Gramps gets thrown in, a giant panda like that sitting in a cramped space like that? The poor fish would never stand a chance, but then they'd still be swimmin' around like nothing happened right when Gramps dragged his big furry butt out."

Finally, Gashu took a seat on a neighboring rock next to Ryuku. He held his hand out in front of Ryuku and waited. The redhead dropped a handful of pebbles on Gashu's palm. Gashu closed his hand around the small grey rocks and mumbled a few words of gratitude. Casually, he tossed a pebble into the water, watching the pebble land with a watery pop.

Gashu cleared his throat. "You could've told me you liked her."

Ryuku chucked the rest of his pebbles at the wooden fence. "It wouldn't have changed anything."

"You mean, it wouldn't have changed my Megumi," Gashu corrected the redhead. "Yours is completely different. I've seen the letters she sent to you, she seems like a sweetie pie," when he received a glare from the boy next to him, Gashu defensively put his arms in front of him. "Hey, if you wanted to be quiet about it, you shouldn't have left all that stuff out."

"It doesn't matter."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Gashu asked. He shoved Ryuku's bicep; the force from his shove was enough to nearly knock Ryuku off his feet. Wearing a sheepish smile, Gashu took hold of Ryuku's shirt, successfully preventing him from landing on his butt. "Whoops, sorry!" he chuckled anxiously.

Ryuku smacked his hands away from him and stood up. "Whatever."

"How can you say it doesn't matter, Red? Of course, it matters! Stuff like that always does!"

"_Whatever_."

"… Did she ever know you liked her?"

"… Yeah, I think she did."

Gashu sighed. "You're gonna leave again aren't you?"

Once again, Ryuku left his double without answering.

**X**

One of the things Ryuku looked forward to the least was dinner.

There were many reasons why Ryuku felt this way towards the last meal of the day. His mother's cooking was among those many reasons. Fortunately, tonight's dinner were leftovers from one of Kasumi's dinners. Occasionally, Kasumi would drop by the dojo with Misaki in tow, and leave her youngest sister and nephew plenty of food, which would normally last for days. Unfortunately, Kasumi's food would remain untouched or was forgotten in the fridge, and ultimately would end up going bad. Today Akane managed to scavenge one of her sister's meals and laid it out on the table for them to eat. But even with a wonderful and not to mention delicious dinner, Ryuku picked at his food with his chopsticks.

His gaze was trained on the amount of food left on his mother's plate. He patiently waited for Akane to finish eating, while he ignored her attempts at small talk. One of the things Grandma Nodoka taught Ryuku as a child was that it was rude to leave the table before everyone was done. Like the obedient grandson he was, Ryuku always waited for his mother to finish, before he'd head for his bedroom to spend the rest of his night. At some point, Akane must've noticed Ryuku's intentions, as whenever dinner came around she'd eat slower and slower.

The sudden knock at the front door caught the mother and son off guard. Ryuku had no idea who could be at the door. None of his relatives would pop up out of the blue without at least announcing anything. Even his grandpa had stopped randomly dropping by a long time ago. His mother seemed to be in the same state of confusion as him. She was most likely mentally creating a list of people who would bother to visit. With a thoughtful frown on her lips, she tapped the ends of her chopsticks on her chin, and then glanced over her shoulder when another knock sounded.

Akane turned back to her meal to pick up a clump of rice. "Ryuku, could you go see who that is?"

After a curt nod, Ryuku got onto his feet and left for the front door. Once he approached the door, the first thing he did was check the peephole. He couldn't recognize the blur on the other side, which didn't help ease the redhead's confusion. As he took hold of the doorknob, he was prepared for a door slam if the visitor turned out to be a salesperson. When he opened the door, he kept his hand glued onto the knob; while he peered through the small amount of space. When his eyes connected with a familiar pair of dark brown eyes – his heart stopped. Despite certain differences, such as weight (she was thinner now) and height (he never towered over her) and her hair (but she looked beautiful no matter how she wore her hair), he could still recognize the woman before him.

"… Megumi."

Bewilderment washed over her face. "Yes?" She stared at him, unaware of how the teen glanced away and awkwardly shuffled his feet. It wasn't long before her face brightened, realization finally kicking in. "Oh my gosh, kiddo! Is that really you?"

Warily, Ryuku nodded his head, still avoiding eye contact.

"Get over here then!" Ryuku found himself enveloped in a warm embrace. His arms jerked forward, moving to wrap around her in return, but his arms flopped back down to his sides. "I can't believe how much you've changed! Jeez, just look at you! You're so tall and…" her head tilted back from Ryuku's chest to study his face. Ryuku wondered if she could see how flustered she made him, even after all those years. "So handsome! So, so handsome! A total heartbreaker!" she moved her hands to pinch his cheeks. "It's been while, huh?"

"Ryuku?" he could hear his mother's footsteps walking up to them. "Who's at the door?"

Megumi peered to the side to see who had joined them. She gasped. "Mrs. Saotome! Is that really you?" Before she left Ryuku, she gave the teen the sweetest smile, which made Ryuku's heart pound and his lips curl into a timid smile. "Be right back, kiddo," she darted over to Akane and tackled her into a hug. "It's been so long! I've missed you!"

"Megumi, is that you?" Akane was more than happy to return the young woman's hug. "What are you doing here in Nerima?"

"We have so much to catch up on!" Megumi told her with an excited squeal. "But before we do anything, do you mind if I borrow your son?"

Akane turned her attention onto Ryuku, wearing a faint smile. "Do you promise to keep an eye on him?"

Megumi laughed. "I wasn't that horrible of a babysitter! Isn't that right, kiddo?"

Since it didn't seem like Ryuku's mouth wasn't going to work anytime soon, Ryuku simply shook his head.

With a pleased laugh, Megumi looped her arm with him, and began to lead Ryuku through the doorway. "Let's go. Ryuku will be on his best behavior, Mrs. Saotome! I promise!"

A weak "W-wait," flew from Ryuku's mouth.

His former babysitter came to an immediate halt. She looked up at him curiously; her fingernails lightly itched at his bicep. "What's up?"

"I-I'll be right back," was what Ryuku mumbled quickly, he unlinked his arm from Megumi's and sped through the hallway. While he climbed up the staircase, going up each step two-by-two, he gave himself props for being able to speak a coherent sentence without messing up.

**X**

"Well, look at you!"

Ryuku ignored the impressed whistle that came behind him. Instead, he simply leaned closer to the mirror, which hung on the back of his closet door, and focused on adjusting his tie. He had hidden this specific mirror from his double on purpose, since Gashu appeared to be quite the narcissist. The redhead had already lost count of how many times he had stumbled upon his doppelganger nonchalantly admiring himself in the mirror. What Gashu thought of as a welcoming gift (Ryuku's small mirror located above his desk) was really just a ploy to drive the meddlesome double out of his room. Unfortunately, the gesture did little to keep Gashu from harassing him on a daily basis.

Gashu strolled up behind Ryuku, studying his appearance in the mirror. "Who are you trying to impress?"

Before Ryuku slammed his closet shut, he gave himself a brief look over one last time. Since Ryuku's comb had somehow mysteriously vanished, he had to make do with his fingers, which he hurried raked through his thick red tresses. The fanciest and nicest dress shirt he owned was shoved in the back of his closet. He was surprised the shirt could still fit him; it had been such a long time ago since he had worn it last. Ryuku spread the wrinkles out of his shirt, hoping if he tugged it enough every single wrinkle would magically disappear. On the bottom, Ryuku had found a nice pair of black slacks, which was conveniently placed next to the dress shirt. The slacks were a little long on him, but it wasn't long enough that it proved to be a problem.

"Hey, turn around," Ryuku rolled his eyes but turned to face his twin. "It was a good effort but, I'm sorry to say this, you could use a lot more work." Gashu retrieved a familiar comb from his back pocket and began to brush the metal teeth through Ryuku's hair. "Luckily for you, I'm willing to help you, uh, myself out."

Ryuku fidgeted under Gashu's gaze. Even if his double had been here for a week, he still hadn't gotten comfortable with how _similar _they looked. Mirrors seemed to be pointless, when you already had _yourself_ lying around the house. When Gashu finally finished petting his hair, he stepped back to admire his work. Ryuku hoped he hadn't stylized his hair the same way as him.

"I think you should borrow one of my shirts," Gashu suggested helpfully. "I've got some nice stuff with me, that'll probably look like they fit you, and by the way," he pointed his finger at Ryuku's feet. "You shouldn't wear sneakers if you're aiming for something fancy, you know?"

"Yeah, well," Ryuku said. "You _stole_ my comb."

**X**

"So, to start you guys off," the waitress paused, drumming her yellow pencil on her notepad, to look over what she had written. "You want a small strawberry fudge sundae?" she pointed her pencil at Megumi, when she received a nod, she looked at Ryuku. "And you just want water?"

Megumi waved her hand in Ryuku's direction. "You'll have to forgive my date," Ryuku's face flushed – _Was this a date?_ "He doesn't want to look unmanly," she told the waitress, who couldn't help but quirk an amused smile. "The sundae's actually for him."

"I see," their server chuckled. "Well, I'll be back in a few minutes with your orders."

And after that was said the waitress left the pair to themselves. Ryuku watched as Megumi picked up a tiny menu from behind the napkin dispenser. While she looked over the menu, she softly hummed a tune under her breath. Her eyes skimmed over the many choices listed on the laminated pages in front of her. Ryuku scanned her appearance, taking in how beautiful she was – how beautiful she _still_ is. Only Megumi was capable of looking stunning in a rather simple light pink Sunday dress. Finally, Ryuku's eyes rested on Megumi's hand, specifically her left hand, where a gorgeous and most likely expensive gold ring fit snugly on her ring finger.

_Can't forget she's getting married, you hopeless idiot_, Ryuku reminded himself bitterly. _Of course, this isn't a date_.

When the waitress returned holding a striped tray, she first placed the sundae down in the center of the table, and then set the sparkly pink glass of water down. Before she reached in her apron for her notepad and pencil, she slyly nudged the sundae closer towards Ryuku. Megumi giggled behind her hand, her ring sparkled from the sunlight spilling in the café. "What can I get for you two?"

"I would like a…" the rest of Megumi's order was lost when Ryuku studied her smile.

Her smile had always been infectious. She had the habit of brightening anyone's day, even when their day was a total drag. Megumi could easily bring a smile to Ryuku's face. All she had to do was spare Ryuku a smile and let out a laugh. Ryuku's cheeks would be sore and his stomach would hurt.

Ryuku blinked when he suddenly noticed Megumi staring at him. "What?"

Megumi's lips curled into a smile. "Are you going to order?" she asked. "Or were you planning on getting me to ask for you?"

"… I'm not really hungry."

"Oh," her smile drooped. "But I'll feel like a fatty if I'm the only one eating."

Without thinking, Ryuku picked up a menu and randomly flipped to a page. In the end, he settled on ordering a plain sponge cake.

Megumi's eyes followed after the waitress walking away. "You didn't have to get anything if you weren't hungry."

"I didn't want to make you feel… uncomfortable."

A short laugh came from Megumi. "You still can't tell when I'm joking?" she grinned at him. "Well, didn't you grow up to be the perfect gentleman? You even went out of your way to look nice just for me. My fiancé could learn a thing or two from you, kiddo."

After a reasonable amount of time had passed, their desserts were placed on the table. Looking like a little kid in a candy store, Megumi picked up a pink plastic spoon and dug in. On the other side of the booth, Ryuku simply used his fork to turn the cake into a yellowish pile of mush. The sundae remained on Ryuku's side of the table, neglected and untouched. Noticing this, Megumi spooned some pink ice cream from the sundae. Slowly, she guided the spoon to Ryuku, mimicking the sounds and actions of an airplane. Cheeks stained with a pink blush, Ryuku parted his lips and accepted the spoon in his mouth.

"Just like when you were a kid!" Megumi noted when she removed the spoon from his mouth. "It's good, right?"

Ryuku let the ice cream melt on his tongue, savoring Megumi's gesture rather than the rich strawberry flavor. "… Yeah."

"You're such a good date," she teased, while she handed Ryuku the spoon. "Now, why don't you feed your date?"

"Do I have to make the airplane sounds?"

She laughed. "It'd be appreciated but you don't have to. I don't want to embarrass you, kiddo. You'll turn as red as your hair."

With a trembling hand, Ryuku dug the spoon into the melting desert. As he moved it towards Megumi, he struggled to keep his hand steady, and nearly nudged the spoon on Megumi's chin. Whipped cream smeared onto Megumi's bottom lip. In response, she laughed and made a teasing comment. Ryuku jumbled out a weak apology.

"Relax," Megumi assured him. "I'm not mad. When have I ever been mad at you?"

Ryuku's hand wilted. Suddenly, his mind flickered to a different moment, a different place. Bloodcurdling screams threatened to burst his eardrums. His heart hammered in his chest, wanting to escape the prison of his body. If it thumped any louder, Ryuku wondered if it'd somehow claw out of his chest. Desperate beseeching howls begged for him to stop. Terror settled in Ryuku's chest as he gaped at the scene before him. Tears stung his eyes. How could there be so much –

"… Ryuku?" Megumi cupped her hands over his; her thumbs softly caressed his skin. "Are you alright?"

"Uh," Ryuku swallowed several times, trying to moisten his suddenly dry throat. "Y-yeah, sure. I'm fine."

"Ryuku," she repeated. "There's a reason I came here."

Ryuku took a sip from his water to lessen the tension within himself.

The only time Megumi ever called him by his name was if there was a certain reason. "As you know, I'm getting married very soon. Actually, the wedding is coming up in a few days," she started. "There's only one problem: something happened to one of my bridesmaid and she had to drop out."

"What does that have to do with me?"

She lifted his hand from the table and tightened her hold on him. "Ryuku, I'd really love it if you," she smiled. "… Would take her place for me?"

The redhead stared at her. "You want me to be your… bridesmaid?" he repeated slowly in disbelief. He didn't bother to let her words settle in his mind. Next, Ryuku snorted, earning a few stares from the other patrons in the café. "Wow. I don't know what to say."

"Ryuku –"

"All you sent me was a _card_," Ryuku pointed out. "It didn't even say I was invited to your wedding in the first place. In fact, I don't even think the card had the word invited on it."

"Don't say that Ryuku!" Megumi's smile turned into a sad frown. "You should know more than anyone that I _really_ want you to be there. But with everything that's happened," she stopped, took a deep breath, and then continued. "It would've been way too complicated. This way, you _can_ go! Don't you get it Ryuku? I saw an opportunity and I took it! That's why I came here to tell you this. You _are_ invited to my wedding."

Ryuku gently removed Megumi's hands from his. "… No," he murmured. "I'm not going to do it."

"I know it's ridiculous, Ryuku, but you have to think about –"

"I don't care!" Ryuku exclaimed, startling both himself and Megumi. He slid out of the booth, ignoring everyone's stares and whispers. "I'm not doing it!"

He'd never forgive himself for being the one to make her that upset.

**X**

All Ryuku wanted to do was lock himself inside his bedroom and sulk. There was only one problem with Ryuku's plan: his favorite double was currently in his room, looking quite comfortable on his bed, and he didn't look like he was going to leave anytime soon. At least Ryuku would have some time to himself, since his twin appeared to be having a wonderful dream. However, Ryuku didn't decide to relish in the very rare silence, once he slammed the door shut behind him. With a strangled yelp, Gashu abruptly sat up on the bed. His normally neat hair was spiraled in a variety of directions, his clothes were wrinkled, and his sunglasses had fallen off of his face and onto his lap.

Gashu wiped the drool off of his chin, grimacing slightly. "Hey you," he greeted gruffly, his voice still laced with sleep. "Did you enjoy waking me up, Red?"

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I was waiting for you to come home."

"Well, I'm home now," Ryuku huffed. "Get out."

"I'll leave after you tell me how your date went," Gashu said. "Sound like a good trade?"

"It wasn't a date," Ryuku growled. "It was nothing but a waste of time."

Gashu frowned. "Okay. Do you really expect me to leave after an answer like that?" he shook his head, while wiping the blurriness out of his eyes. "Now, you _have_ to explain yourself."

Ryuku loosened his tie enough so that he could throw it on the floor. "She wants me to go to her wedding, as one of her bridesmaids. She wants me to go as a girl."

"Are you telling me the girl you had a date with is getting married? _And_ this girl wants you to go to her wedding, too? As a girl?" his double asked, puzzled. "No wonder you had a bad time," Gashu flopped onto his back, stretching his arms up in the air. "You know, you could've told me you went out with Megumi. You'd think you would at _least_ be honest with yourself."

"Looks like I didn't have to tell you anything, since you managed to find out by yourself."

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Jeez, calm down," he grumbled. "I'm sorry for caring about your wellbeing. What a jerk I must be."

"Can you leave now?"

"No way," Gashu said. "I still have stuff to ask you."

As Ryuku stomped to his closet, Gashu's dress shoes that he wore stepped over several pieces of his memories with Megumi. Gritting his teeth together, Ryuku snatched the wooden box from his desk, and dropped to his knees. He shoved everything inside the box, uncaring if he tore or folded anything haphazardly. "Are you going to ask your stupid question?"

"Are you going?"

"Does it look like I want to go?"

"Why aren't you going?" Gashu sat up to hand Ryuku a stack of letters. When the stack was snatched from him, Gashu shoved the rest of Ryuku's things onto the floor. "You must mean a lot to her, since she came down here and personally invited you to her wedding. She wants you to be there!"

"I don't care!"

"What's the big deal? Who cares if you have to be a girl! It's not like you're going to be a girl forever! At the very least, it'd only be a few days. A few days won't kill anyone."

Ryuku smacked Gashu's hands away from a photograph he hadn't pushed off the bed yet. "I didn't even want to go to the dumb wedding in the first place!"

Idly, Gashu rubbed where the redhead smacked his hand. "I don't see what the problem is. It's not like you still have a…" he looked at Ryuku, who had stopped moving things around after he had paused. "Do you?"

"When did I say that I stopped liking her?"

"Usually, people get over their first crush."

"I guess I'm not one of those people then."

"She's getting married, Red," Gashu told the redhead slowly, as if he was speaking to a child. "Don't you think it's about time you let go? How do you _ever_ expect to get a girlfriend?"

"I'm not going to accept 'love tips' from someone like you. I don't care how many admirers or girlfriends you've had back home. That doesn't mean anything to me."

"When Megumi stopped babysitting me, _I _had to get over her," he explained matter-of-factly. "She wasn't only your first crush. I don't see why you're still so attached to her anyway. At least, it'd make sense if I was still crazy about her. It wasn't like she was your first kiss, too."

Ryuku kept silent.

"Speaking of first kisses," Gashu announced, since he couldn't help but be curious. "You've had your first kiss, right?"

"Why is this suddenly important?"

"You're getting defensive," his double pointed out. "That means you haven't."

"If you're trying to piss me off even more it's working," Ryuku spat out harshly. "And just to satisfy your curiosity, I _have_ had my first kiss, and that's all I'm telling you."

Gashu ruffled up Ryuku's bed sheets when he shifted onto his side to stare down at the redhead. "Again, I was looking out for you. It'd be depressing for you if you'd be hung up on a girl for so long that you haven't looked at other girls. They say 'there's other fish in the sea' for a reason. But at least you weren't a completely sad boy."

"… You know what?" Ryuku closed the wooden box, having managed to shove everything back inside while Gashu had been talking. "I think I will go to Megumi's wedding."

A grin lit up his double's face. "Really?" he gasped. "That's awesome!"

"Do you know what that means now?"

"… No?"

Ryuku jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the door. "You get to leave."

"Oh, right," an awkward chuckle left Gashu's lips. He hopped off the bed. "You can, uh, give me my stuff back later. I'm glad you decided to change your mind about going. Maybe this way, you'll be able to get over your silly crush."

Once Ryuku heard the door close, he moved to place the box under his bed. He took his wallet out from his back pocket, before he sat down on the edge of the mattress. Ryuku removed the photograph of Megumi from its respectful picture slot. He stared down at her smiling face. Usually, her picture always brought a smile to his face. But at the moment, the picture wasn't working its magic on the redhead. He let himself fall onto his back, resting the picture on his chest, and stared up at the ceiling.

_Silly crush? _Ryuku scoffed. _He's too busy only caring about himself to understand anything._ _I'll go to Megumi's stupid wedding… and I'll help her get out of this thing._


	24. Ch 18: Sounds of Wedding Bells: P1

**Chapter 18:** The Welcoming Sounds of Wedding Bells: Part 1

All throughout the night Ryuku had tossed and turned in his bed, his mind relentlessly reeling with constant thoughts of Megumi. Eventually, he had managed to keep his mind at bay and fell into a slumber. But his dreams were invaded by the constant memories surging throughout his subconscious. His wary eyes flickered to the clock sitting on his desk, the time taunting him. Defeated, Ryuku reluctantly climbed out of bed, grumbling under his breath. He paced back and forth in his room, desperately struggling to push all his negative thoughts away; simultaneously contemplating to go downstairs to the dojo. One thought in particular emerged into his mind: several days ago, Gashu had managed to trick Ryuku into the dojo. Akane was out so Ryuku's couldn't complain too much on that front and any other excuses were easily countered by Gashu. Ryuku felt like he should flee but his curiosity got the better of him. _What did Gashu want?_

At first, Ryuku ridiculed Gashu's stretching routines. They didn't look any special or different than what Grandpa Genma had taught him. Ryuku even felt a little comfortable. Perhaps Gashu knew less than he let on. That was until Gashu went into his fighting routine. Gashu's movements uncannily mimicked his father's. Ryuku could see the image of his father as a teenager, the illusion, standing next to his double. It was almost as if he was trapped in the illusion once again, standing in the dojo and wanting so desperately to be able to _do _something. But he was only allowed to watch from the sidelines. Even the simplest punch and kick was reminiscent of the elegance of his father's style: Gashu was everything Ryuku would never be, even with his grandpa's _Fighting Spirit _drilled into him.

Ryuku blinked. Somehow, he had subconsciously found his way to the dojo, his gaze lazily lying where Gashu had practiced. Eventually, he decided it better to forget about his grievances and marched back to his bedroom. To tire himself quickly, he chose to do some simple strength resistance training, until he was exhausted. Drenched in his own sweat, Ryuku grabbed fresh clothes from his dresser to take a cool and relaxing shower. Afterward, he found it to be the best time to take a "visit" to his double. At his door, he prepared himself to knock but at mid-stroke he realized his double never paid him such courtesy, so why should Ryuku? All Gashu did was waltz into Ryuku's bedroom if he needed something.

A disgruntled scowl played across Ryuku's features, as he invited himself to the guest room. From the first step in the room, he could see Gashu sprawled across his futon. His body was positioned in such an awkward manner, but he supposed his double felt comfortable. The majority of the sheets were clumped at his ankles, supposedly from his constant body movement. Approaching the futon, Ryuku unfortunately gazed upon his twin's midsection, noting his wrinkled shirt had ridden slightly above his lower stomach, exposing a defined abdomen. Enviously, Ryuku turned his face away; it was difficult to suppress the jealousy that vehemently washed over him. Training consistently for fifteen years would give anyone a fit physique. But Gashu's boxers were so cheesy that his resentment faded to the back of his mind. Ryuku would never wear underwear decorated with hearts and kisses.

Suddenly, a strange sound crescendoed from Gashu (it was almost indescribable. The best Ryuku could guess it sounded like a pig getting trapped under a tractor). He struggled to fight off the smile forming on his lips. Grabbing onto his double's pillow, he yanked the cushioning from underneath his head. A dully thudded echo when Gashu's head bounced off the floor.

Gashu's eyes remained closed, his nose scrunched. "Ouch."

Ryuku dropped the pillow onto his twin's chest. "Good morning."

At hearing Ryuku's voice, one of Gashu's eyes cracked open to look up at his twin. "Red?" he mumbled gruffly, letting his pillow fall as he sat up. "What time it is?" Sluggishly, the double hopped onto his feet. He wobbled somewhat, before he went for his cabinet. With his head inside the dresser, Gashu's words were muffled when he exclaimed. "_Are you kidding me?_ It's not even six yet!" Gracefully, Gashu plopped onto his butt, holding Ryuku's digital clock on his lap. "What're you wakin' me up for?"

"Why is the clock I _lent_ you in your cabinet?"

Wearing the same scowl Ryuku had on earlier, Gashu tapped his fingers onto the clock. "Look! Look at the time, Red!"

"It's time for you to go to school."

Ryuku's sentence was the last thing Gashu had expected to hear, the shock enough to make him drop the clock onto the floor. Wincing, Gashu quickly scooped it back onto his lap. "What'd you say?"

"You heard me."

"Why am I goin' to school?" Gashu asked. "Don't you go to school?"

"Normally, I would," was Ryuku's answer. "But, today, I'm spending the day with Megumi."

Gashu raised his eyebrow at that. "Is that so? You got yourself another date?" he sighed, rubbing the heel of his palm on his face. "Sorry. Brain's still not awake yet."

"It's _never_ awake."

"I'm glad someone's able to have a sense of humor, before six o'clock in the morning," Gashu remarked dryly. He lazily threaded his fingers through his disheveled red locks. "What are you doing with Megumi that'll take all day?"

"I hope it doesn't take all day," Ryuku muttered more to himself than to his twin. He faltered slightly from Gashu's puzzled look. To avoid his stare, Ryuku glanced off to the side, choosing to glare at a stray cobweb he missed during clean-up. "She may have mentioned dresses."

Like he had expected, an amused snort came from Gashu. "Dress shopping?" he laughed. "Wow. You're ditching school to look at dresses. There's totally nothing wrong with that sentence."

"Whatever, it's not that funny," Ryuku hissed through his teeth. "_You_ need to start getting ready."

"Are you serious? Do I need to remind you something?" once again, Gashu pointed at the clock. "It's not even close to when school starts."

Ryuku kicked Gashu's pillow. They both watched as the cushion soared through the air, traveling across the room until it collided with the wall. Although Gashu's whiny protests about his sensitive neck were pleasing to hear, the gesture hadn't made Ryuku feel any better. "Here's your chance," he told him. "You'll finally be able to leave your so called 'prison'."

Gashu used his fingers to cover his eyes with his bangs. "Fine, I'll help you out," he blew his hair out of his eyes. "But is there anything I should know?" when he heard Ryuku curse, Gashu's puckered lips curled into a frown. "What's the matter?"

"I didn't even think about that stuff."

"Way to think head," Gashu drawled, while giving a sarcastic applause for his fellow redhead. "Well, I'm sure I'll be fine. It's not like our school lives are that different."

Ryuku's feet padded softly on the floor, as he made his way to the door. "Let me go get my uniform."

"You actually wear your uniform?"

"Yeah," Ryuku snapped, not liking how snotty Gashu's tone was. "Why wouldn't I?"

His double shrugged. "They're boring, tacky, and not to mention ugly. How are you supposed to express yourself when you look like every other guy?"

"I keep forgetting that school is a place to worry about your looks rather than learning."

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Well, aren't you full of fun?" he waved his hand at his double, as if he was dismissing him. "Go get the uniform."

As quickly as Ryuku left, he was back in his room. His uniform was hanging on top of his closet door. He gave the uniform a quick look over, which reminded him of something he had encountered at his grandma's house. After several weeks had passed since his father's disappear, Akane had dropped him off at his grandma's house, telling her son it was time for a small vacation. Akane swore she would be back for him within a week. The small vacation nearly lasted for a month. At one point during Ryuku's stay, his grandma had taken out her photo albums for them to flip through. Grandma Nodoka placed Ryuku on her lap with album and pointed to every picture on the glossed pages. There were all sorts of photographs, starting from his father's childhood all the way to high school. In all of the high school photos, his father hadn't worn the uniform in any of them, while his mother had obediently followed the school's dress codes. Why should Gashu have to wear a uniform? His father didn't.

A hand dropped onto Ryuku's shoulder, pulling Ryuku from his short-lived memory. "You gonna keep gawking at the dumb thing?"

Ryuku shrugged off Gashu's hand and lifted the uniform off the door. He shoved it into his twin's arms, who warily looked it over unimpressed. "I'll tell you one thing," he started. "Just don't act like yourself. You're supposed to be me. So, act like me instead of… you. I've got enough stuff to deal with. I don't need you making things any worse."

Frowning slightly, Gashu raised his hand, mimicking a student waiting to be called on by a teacher.

Not in the mood for Gashu's antics, Ryuku hissed a harsh: "_What?_"

"There's a problem, Red."

"What kind of problem?"

"Are you forgetting something?"

In response to Ryuku's puzzled stare, Gashu huffed and then held up his pigtail. "Oh."

"This wouldn't be the first time my pigtail got me in trouble. I've hidden it from people before," the double said with a slight shrug. "But then you'd be breaking some rules. Are you okay with that?"

"I'm not going to tell you to go chop it off!"

Gashu leaned forward to tickle Ryuku's nose with the end of his braid. "How very thoughtful of you!" he snorted when Ryuku slapped his hand away. "I have a beanie that should work. Are you allowed to wear a beanie? Or will that taint your image?"

"Use what works."

"Don't get mad at me when it gets confiscated."

A bitter snort came from Ryuku, under his breath the teen muttered. "I wouldn't worry about that."

"What was that?"

"Would you get going already?" Ryuku retorted harshly. "You're going to your first day of school today!"

Before he slammed the door on his way out, Gashu called out. "Alright, mom, I'm going! I'm going!"

Subconsciously, Ryuku's fingers curled at the ends of his hair, searching for something he had chopped off nine years ago.

**X**

Ryuku hoped Megumi wouldn't find a dress. If there was no dress, Ryuku would have no choice but to miss her wedding. Fortunately for Megumi, she had managed to locate a dress shop in Nerima, which carried the same dresses she wanted. Ryuku followed Megumi into the store. While Megumi cheerfully spoke to a saleswoman, Ryuku hid behind the taller girl and eyed the exit. It wouldn't be hard to slip away without anyone noticing. The only problem was that she'd upset Megumi if she did that. It was bad enough that she had publicly shouted at her at the café. The pained expression on her face haunted Ryuku as he retreated back home. Megumi and the salesperson's conversation quickly ended. Before leaving her customers, the saleswoman informed them that she'd be "back in a moment" and shortly returned with the dress.

Megumi gasped. "That's it exactly! It's perfect!" with a bright smile, she thanked the woman, and then spun to face Ryuku. "We found it, kiddo! Isn't that great? I've got a great feeling about this!"

"Awesome," Ryuku replied, using nowhere near the same amount of enthusiasm as Megumi. The saleswoman waited for Ryuku to accept the dress from her. "Guess I'll go try it on now."

Inwardly, Ryuku prayed that the dress wouldn't fit when she stepped into the dressing room. The room was roughly the size of Ryuku's closet. There was enough space for two people, but it was meant to only hold one single body. A full length mirror was mounted onto the wall. The only source of light was four large light bulbs outlining the mirror. It reminded Ryuku of the mirror in Misaki's bathroom. There was a small white chair, meant for someone dainty and petite, placed in the corner of the stall. A snort threatened to leave Ryuku's lips when a sudden thought popped inside her mind. It was an image of her grandpa, who was the complete opposite of a small woman, hunched on top of the chair. The chair legs would no doubt bend and eventually break from the large amount of weight being pressed on such a flimsy chair.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time Ryuku had gone dress shopping, which was why she was suddenly reminded of Genma. His grandmother hadn't exactly encouraged her grandson to _embrace_ being a woman, as she was very fond of having a manly grandson; she simply wanted Ryuku to be comfortable whenever he was a male or a female. During the few times her grandmother had brought her on a few shopping trips, Nodoka dragged her husband with her every time. While Ryuku was in dresses, blouses, skirts, and even swimsuits, Genma's complaints were continually unheard. Adding on the few shopping trips with Aunt Kasumi and Misaki, which ended with Ryuku holed up in a dressing room, while Misaki insisted her cousin try everything in the store. Shopping for clothes was something Ryuku never looked forward to.

Ryuku placed the dress's hanger onto the hook. When she was in the middle of yanking her pants past her hips, she stopped to see her reflection gaping right back at her. She resumed undressing once she was no longer facing the mirror. Unease washed over Ryuku, when her hands reached for the dress. First, she pulled the zipper down, slipped it off the hanger, and missed catching the dress when it slipped from her fingers. The dress landed onto the plush blue carpet underneath her bare feet. Ryuku nudged the outfit closer towards herself, before she slowly stepped inside and began to take her time pulling the dress up and over her body. All there was left to do now was to zip the dress. The dress was a lovely shade of light blue with a neat white trim. It was strapless, showing off more skin than Ryuku would like. The hem ended slightly past her kneecaps, displaying not only more skin but leg as well. The material was snug, clinging onto every bit of Ryuku's curves. Wrapping around Ryuku's waist was a fairly sized white ribbon. It was a perfect fit.

Ryuku's fingers lightly tugged at the ends of the silky ribbon. If she tugged hard enough would the ribbon would be undone? Maybe Megumi would be so upset that she'd have no choice but to take back her invitation. _Who'd get upset over something like that? That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard._

The light knock on the door startled her. "What's taking you so long?" Megumi asked. "Do you need help in there?"

"I'm fine!" subconsciously, Ryuku hugged her arms around herself. "Don't come in here."

"Are you admiring yourself?" Megumi's question was tinted with an amused laugh. "Or do you think you look fat?"

As Ryuku took a seat on the chair, she deliberately avoided her reflection in the mirror. The last thing she wanted to see was how she looked in a dress meant for Megumi's wedding. She buried her face in her palms, heaving a conflicted sigh. _Why am I doing this? All I'm doing is making myself miserable._

There was another soft knock, this time accompanied with a soft-spoken concerned inquiry. "Are you alright in there, kiddo?"

Megumi's voice made Ryuku perk up in her seat. She planted her hands onto her knees, her fingers digging at the expensive material, and _finally_ allowed herself to look at herself. _I'm doing this for Megumi_, Ryuku reminded herself. _To make sure she's making the right choice. That she's not marrying some jerk._

Another sigh went past her lips; the boy-turned-girl forced herself onto her feet. "Let's get this over with."

Once the door was opened, Ryuku ignored the excited gasp and the gust of claps, but she couldn't stop the blood from rushing to her cheeks. She stared at a spot above Megumi's left shoulder. Ryuku found herself looking at a mannequin wearing a wedding dress. A sinking feeling settled in Ryuku's stomach. She wanted nothing more than for a hole to suddenly open beneath her and swallow her down towards the unknown.

"You look beautiful, Ryu –" Megumi stopped, only to resume speaking a second later. "I mean, _Ryoko_. You look beautiful, Ryoko."

Cheeks stained red, Ryuku turned away from the mannequin to the white ceiling. "That's not really something a guy wants to hear."

Despite trying her best to avoid Megumi, Ryuku's eyes automatically went to her former babysitter when her laughter lilted the area. "Do you remember when we played dress-up?"

Ryuku shuddered. "I try not to."

"Oh, don't lie!" Megumi teased. "I could tell you had fun! Every time I brought you along with me to go shopping, you _always_ had to try on a dress!" when Ryuku saw the sly smirk on Megumi's lips, she stiffened. "At least, you happened to be a girl whenever that happened, right?"

Strings of intangible words sputtered from Ryuku's mouth, before she decided it was best to simply snap her mouth shut. Numbly, Ryuku muttered out. "Nothing more fun than playing… dress-up."

"See? I told you!"

Ryuku crossed her arms across her chest, raising her eyebrow the woman in front of her. "But you pretty much forced me to wear all those dresses. Don't think I'd forget something like that."

Megumi stuck her tongue out, effectively making her resemble a child rather than a twenty-four year old woman. "Whatever! You still had fun!" she stepped to Ryuku, her eyes skimming over the dress on her body. "Is there anything wrong with the dress?"

Ryuku looked down at the dress, instead of at Megumi's hands taking hold of her hips. She could feel the warmth of her palms seeping through the dress. "This doesn't look like something you'd wear for a traditional Japanese wedding."

"Did you not pay attention to the card?" Megumi asked, chuckling. "We're having a Western styled wedding."

All Ryuku muttered was a soft, "Oh."

"That's so like you, kiddo," she lightly bopped her palm on Ryuku's forehead. "So, are there no problems with the dress?"

"It fits if that's what you're saying."

"Are you sure? Nothing's bothering you? It fits?"

"… It fits."

"That's great," without warning, Ryuku found herself yanked forward for a hug. Megumi rested her chin on Ryuku's head, lowly murmuring. "I'm really glad you changed your mind."

Ryuku closed her eyes. "Me too."

**X**

"Same old shitty Furinkan High School," Gashu cheerfully announced to himself, once he passed the school gates. "We've always had such a love-hate relationship."

All Gashu had his sights set on was the school building. Although, he'd occasionally let his eyes stray from time to time to look at his fellow peers on either side of him. Ever since he stepped onto the school grounds he could sense an strained, unsettling atmosphere surrounding him, almost as if it was suffocating him. To ease himself from the smothering tension, Gashu rolled his shoulders, half-tempted to shrug off his uniform jacket and toss it aside. Surprisingly, the double had followed through with Ryuku's demands and put on Furinkan's dull uniform, he even went out of his way to button every button, tucked in his shirt, and wore a dress code appropriate shirt. Gashu scuffed the end of his shoes on the concrete; he felt somewhat peeved when he saw _acceptable _shoes rather than his comfy and much preferred ankle heeled boots. There wasn't anything even remotely related to Gashu Saotome on his person. Today he was _Ryuku_ Saotome, angst and killjoy extraordinaire.

_Red owes me big time for this_; Gashu absently moved his hand up to adjust his beanie. _Oh, wait a sec. Red doesn't wear beanies. Guess there's a bit of Gashu on Red after all._

As he readjusted his hand knitted headgear (courtesy of one of his many female admirers back home), Gashu saw a girl who sped by him flinch, almost as if she had expected to be hit. Gashu's footsteps slowed down somewhat. _Was I imaging that?_ His eyes followed after the girl, who nearly crashed into a small group, as she darted inside the school. _Did she think I was going to hit her?_

A puzzled frown marred his visage. "No way," he muttered under his breath. "That doesn't make any sense. You were obviously seeing things."

Having come to a complete stop, Gashu cupped his chin, as he contemplated his surroundings. He wasn't oblivious of how everyone gawked at him. Back home, everyone always had their eyes trained on him, due to his natural knack of capturing attention. But these stares were different. There weren't any looks of: adoration, admiration, affection, or any other positive reaction. All the stares focused on him were the same: pure terror. It was as if he was in a high school themed horror movie, but instead of playing the role of the "hero", Gashu had been casted as the bloodthirsty villain.

Everyone was scared.

They were scared of him. They were scared of _Ryuku_.

Gashu shook his head, immediately ridding the thought from his mind. _Why would anyone be scared of Red?_

Feeling the need to prove a point, Gashu's eyes landed on a small group of girls, merrily talking amongst themselves. Without a second thought, he headed straight for them, focusing his gaze on the girl facing towards him, waiting for her to notice him approaching. When the girl met Gashu's drilling blue eyes, the smile on her lips erased. Her face paled and her eyes widened; the emotion of fear clearly shown based on her features. The girl leaned closer to her friends; she whispered and cautiously glanced up at Gashu. The group huddled closer together, as if they were a bird protecting their nest of freshly hatched eggs.

Keeping a decent sized space between him and the girls, Gashu jammed his hands into his pockets, letting his lips form a relaxed smile. "Hey."

A clock ticked in Gashu's mind, slowly counting off the seconds, until there was some sort of response. Suddenly, the girls dispersed in an assortment of directions. Several of them sprinted for the other side of the field, while the others headed for the building. Gashu lips pressed into a thin line. Once again, he searched throughout the schoolyard. Running across the schoolyard was a rather awkwardly built boy, the sleeves of the uniform jacket were loose on his arms, his arms which protectively cradled a stack of books, and his legs might as well be called sticks. The poor guy wasn't even really running, yet he looked like he was about to hyperventilate at any second.

Once the male student past him, Gashu decided: _Let's go help the guy out_ and jogged after him. Gashu could easily picture gym class: everyone was running along the track at their own comfortable pace. There would be a majority of students in the front, closely followed by a few lagging runners, after them were the strays, and then finally there was the loner all the way in the back. In this case, the loner was the guy Gashu had no problem catching up with. The perfect opportunity to offer assistance arose when the guy's foot was caught on a clump of grass. The guy collided with the ground with a pained groan. Gashu circled around him, searching the grass, before he found what he was looking for: black rimmed glasses.

Gashu went on one knee, waiting for his peer to accept the thick spectacles. "Here you go, man."

Through struggled pants, he managed to say. "Thank you!" the first few attempts to retrieve his glasses were unsuccessful, until Gashu simply turned the guy's hand and placed them on his palm. Stammering words of gratitude, he slipped on his glasses, and Gashu greeted him with a smile. The guy's paled. "S-S-Saotome, oh god, I didn't mean to –"

"You dropped your books," Gashu's hand reached out for the closet textbook. "Let me help you out."

Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. "N-No, that won't be n-necessary!" His entire body was trembling uncontrollably. "I-I didn't. I wasn't looking where I was g-g-going! My s-sincerest apologizes for m-my clumsiness, Saotome!"

"Whoa, man, relax," Gashu tried to console the whimpering male, but all his soothing words did was cause the boy's panicked whimpers to worsen. "You just tripped. That's nothing to feel miserable for. Let me –"

"_Please!_" the guy wailed, covering himself with his wobbly hands. "Just don't h-hurt me! Please! Take my money! O-Or my homework! Anything! Just please, s-s-spare me!"

An unsettling wave of nausea washed over Gashu. During the guy's desperate and unsteady plea, he had soiled his pants. A pang of guilt settled in Gashu's stomach, having imaged the lanky boy miserably running on the track, desperately trying his hardest to catch up to the rest of his class. Gashu scooped up every text book, dropped them in front of the guy, and abruptly left for the school. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. School hadn't even officially started yet there were problems already paved in Gashu's path.

_I don't care how miserable you are_, Gashu gritted his teeth together, barely able to contain the fury bubbling inside of him. Leaving a sizable dent in the wall certainly wasn't going to look good for anyone; he'd ease his anger once he was back at the dojo. _You're going to explain what the hell this is about, Red._

Within Gashu's next certain amount of steps down the hallway, there was yet another problem obscuring his way. Plastered all over the walls, the lockers, the classroom doors, _everything_ was covered in newspapers. Looking every which way, Gashu could see everyone holding their own personal issue of the Furinkan High School Newspaper. The bolded letters were what caught Gashu's attention first. He made his way to an empty spot to look over the newspaper himself. Hastily, his hands snatched the papers off the lockers. His hands continued to grab and rip the papers, before the walls were bare. Heaving harbored breaths, Gashu clutched at what was left in his palms, slowly feeling the anger wane from his body.

"Extra, extra!" a voice called out. "This was released fresh off the press! _Bloody Knife Saotome_ _Breaks into the Kuno Mansion!_"

"Bullshit!" Gashu exclaimed, immediately attracting every pair of eyes in the hall. He stomped over to the boy, bits and pieces of paper trailed behind him as he stepped closer to him. A voice resembling Ryuku's screamed at him to stop. His twin's previous words echoed in his mind, while warning alarms blared alongside: _"Just don't act like yourself. You're supposed to be me. So, act like me instead of… you. I've got enough stuff to deal with. I don't need you making things any worse."_

The boy raised his eyebrow at him, unimpressed with his outburst. "What's the matter, Saotome?" he sneered, shoving a newspaper in his face. "Did I not get your good side?"

He grabbed the newspaper from his hands in order to thrust in back in his face. "_You_ wrote this?"

"Of course, I wrote it, dumbass!" the frail boy fumed, slapping the papers away. "Don't act as if you don't know who I am! You, of all people, should know _I'm_ your biggest 'fan'."

Gashu laughed. The hallway was completely silent that his laughter echoed. "Oh, right! Can't forget about you," his eyes searched the front page for the author. "_Fumio Gosunkugi!_ But can I offer a suggestion for the future?"

Fumio snorted, deciding to humor the redhead. "Sure, why not? As long as your suggestion doesn't cost me another camera," he shrugged, moving his stack of newspapers under his arm. "I'm all ears, Saotome."

The pile of papers dropped onto the tiled flooring, meeting the cream colored tiles with a loud smack. But the noise of the papers was greatly overshadowed by a lanky body being slammed against the wall. A terrified scream startled Gashu, his rapidly building temper having blinded his other senses, his ability to rationalize. His unforgiving grip on Fumio's jacket loosened. From the way Fumio struggled to hide his wincing, Gashu could easily see the slam had caused some pain to Fumio. Gashu leaned forward, a mixture of satisfaction and remorse pumped throughout his body, feeling and seeing Fumio's body tremble.

"You _really_ don't want to upset me," Gashu murmured lowly. "The worst thing you'd want is a Saotome to be your enemy, Gosunkugi. Got it?"

Despite his evident fear, Fumio began to laugh manically, as if he hadn't bothered to notice his current situation. "What brought this up all of a sudden?" he asked his tone void of any actual curiosity. "I've been doing this ever since we started middle school, Saotome! It's not all _my_ fault your reputation is like this. Sure, I've talked behind your back plenty of times, I've stretched the truth here and there, but you were the one who started all of this. The only thing I did was, well, help you along. Give a friendly shove in the right direction."

Gashu forced a friendly smile on his lips. "While I appreciate the help, I think it's time you stop _helping_ me out."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Fumio said. "But I'm afraid this isn't up to you."

"Why wouldn't it be up to me?" Gashu growled. It was a shame Fumio's eyes were already circled in black. He would've enjoyed seeing what the prick would look like with a pair of black eyes. "You're publishing shit about me, without even asking for my permission! I'm pretty damn sure that gives me the right to stop this."

Fumio took hold of one of Gashu's wrists, while his other hand lightly patted the back of his hand. "Saotome," he clucked his tongue. "You can't just expect us to pretend nothing happened. Do you think anyone can ignore you, _Bloody Knife Saotome_? You're already asking for way too much from us."

"Then at least stop with the newspapers. Stop dragging my name further through the mud than it already is."

"Forgive me for sounding childish but," Fumio glared at Gashu. "Why should I listen to you? You don't exactly have any sort of authority. No one on the staff, not even our friendly old principal, wants to deal with you. You've dug yourself far too deep a hole to suddenly decide you want to climb out."

Ryuku's words repeated in Gashu's head: _"Just don't act like yourself. You're supposed to be me. So, act like me instead of… you."_ But it was already too late, the damage was done. Another scream sounded in the hall, only this time, Gashu had anticipated and waited for the frightened screech. He let his fist fall limply to his side, his knuckles dusted in plaster. The size of the dent on the wall was nearly the size of Fumio's head. Gashu released his hold on Fumio's collar; the other boy clumsily gained his footing on the floor, too absorbed with the thought of almost having his face bashed in. Gashu clasped both of his hands on Fumio's hands, mocking the boy's earlier gesture. He stared at him dead in the eye, the emotions sparkling in his eyes unreadable, and his friendly smile had an unsettling sharp edge.

"Gosunkugi," although, his tone was eerily chipper, there was venom attached to his name. "I think I'll enjoy seeing you around here."

"_I've got enough stuff to deal with. I don't need you making things any worse."_

**X**

Ryuku wasn't sure when they finally left the dress store, but she was more than aware of how many dresses Megumi urged her to wear. Even after purchasing the dress, Megumi insisted they stick around the store to browse. Ryuku easily recognized the sparkle in her eyes, as she followed the older woman in the store. While Megumi agreed to try on some outfits herself, Ryuku had ended up with the bulk of it all, spending more time in a dressing room than she liked.

A relieved sigh came from Ryuku when they stepped outside the store, only to groan when Megumi decided they should take a quick detour to a jewelry store that caught her attention. One quick detour turned into three other jewelry stores, where Megumi spent the majority of their time gawking at ridiculously priced trinkets. Megumi was knelt in front of a glass case, her fingertips pressed onto the glass. From how close her face was to the glass, Ryuku couldn't help but hold onto her shoulders, not wanting to have Megumi's face smack into the case. Every time Megumi attempted to purchase anything, she was quickly shot down by Ryuku, who would receive a glare from the middle-aged woman behind the cash register.

"Can we leave now?" Ryuku spoke softly to keep the snotty saleswoman from eavesdropping. "No matter how hard you look you won't find anything cheap."

A gloomy but appreciate sigh went past Megumi's lips. "You're right," she sniffled. "I have such bad spending habits."

"You always did."

"Yeah," Megumi agreed. "But you used to always be by my side to stop me!"

Ryuku's heart sank. "Yeah, I used to be."

Once Ryuku managed to drag Megumi through the exit, the older woman suddenly gasped excitedly and yanked Ryuku into the crowded streets. During Megumi's hasty race to their next location, Ryuku swore she had somehow taken flight. The pair managed to thread their way through the other many shoppers, without causing too much trouble. When they arrived at their destination, Ryuku didn't bother to look at where she had been dragged to (it was probably another expensive jewelry store), and went for the door. Like the gentlemen she currently wasn't, Ryuku gently unwound Megumi's hand from her wrist to hold the door open for her.

Megumi giggled, taking a moment to curtsey, before walking inside. "What a well-mannered young lady."

The boy-turned-girl rolled her eyes, biting back a half-hearted retort, and followed after Megumi. It wasn't until she looked over where they were that her face fell. "Are you kidding me, Megumi?"

"What?"

"All that excitement of yours was for a _toy store?_" Ryuku pressed her palm onto her forehead. "Did I just take your maturity or something? Or were you never that mature in the first place?"

Megumi held her hand out. "You know, you're going to be just as immature as me once we find something you like."

Despite the snort that left her lips, Ryuku accepted Megumi's hand, allowing herself to be led through the brightly colored store. Megumi picked up anything off the shelves, raising an unfamiliar toy in front of Ryuku, who remained uninterested. There were a variety of stuffed animals, eerie dolls, outrageously fast toy cars, guns that shot out bursts of bubbles when the trigger was pulled – it all bored Ryuku. When Megumi's back was turned, Ryuku separated from her companion to roam around the store. Ryuku wasn't sure what age she was when she suddenly lost complete interest in toys. Even though Misaki was thirteen, she couldn't get enough of toy stores. It was endearing to see her cousin instantly fill with excitement whenever she found a toy she liked. It brought back childhood memories when Ryuku acted the same way.

Strolling down an aisle, Ryuku idly looked over the assortment of products placed on the shelves. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar toy.

"_This is for my favorite grandson." _

_Ryuku's eyes widened at the size of the box his grandma placed in front of him. His went onto his knees, bringing the shiny wrapped box closer to him, and saw his smeary reflection grin back at him. During the fall season, a toy became an overnight sensation for his age group. Everyone at school had it. Even Ryou somehow managed to rope his parents into buying him one. Since his mother wasn't going to buy him one, Ryuku turned to his Grandma Nodoka instead. He talked her ears off on the telephone every night, knowing fully well her grandma would get it, since she enjoyed spoiling her one and only grandson. Now that it was _finally_ Christmas, Ryuku got his hands on one. _

_The first thing Ryuku did was undo the red ribbon, before he quickly tore off the wrapping boxer. He opened the box flaps, reaching his hands inside to grab the toy box, and set it on his lap. His fingertips lightly traced over the plastic wrapping protecting the toy. Ryuku had anticipated experiencing an unbridled amount of happiness surging through his body. He had expected an ear-to-ear grin, which would make his cheeks sore. But as he stared at the toy, knowing her grandma was patiently waiting to be showered with gratitude, Ryuku felt absolutely nothing. There wasn't even a smile on his face. _

"_Now, what do you say to grandma?" her mother had told Ryuku, looking at her son expectantly._

_Then Ryuku turned to his grandma, slipping on a half-hearted smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thank you, grandma." _

_In the end, the toy was left in the box and forgotten by everyone._

Like she had done as child, Ryuku traced over the plastic wrapping. "I thought these things went out of business."

"Ryoko, I found something!"

Ryuku set the box back onto the shelf, before she returned to Megumi's side. She found Megumi where the board games were. "What'd you find?"

"Something _I_ know you'll love!" Megumi thrust a box in Ryuku's face.

Stumbling, a step back, Ryuku skimmed over the box. Her face fell. "I hate puzzles," she said irritably. "You might as well throw up a riddle book while you're at it! Why would a toy store have puzzles? What kind of weird kid wants that?"

"But look!" Megumi pointed to the image on the box. "It's a cat! You and I both know how much you love cats!"

"Why would I want to make a thousand pieced puzzle of a cat?" Ryuku asked. "If I was that desperate to look at a cat, I'd go look at Seichi or Sayo. Or go to a pet store."

"I don't care what you say. We're getting it," she was quick to continue, before Ryuku had a chance to protest. "_And_ we're going to solve the entire thing during the train ride to Itabashi."

"And what a boring train ride it will be."

Out of spite, Ryuku assumed, Megumi nabbed another puzzle off the shelf. The picture depicted on the lid was of a popular dog breed, Ryuku couldn't quite remember. Wordlessly, Ryuku swapped the dog puzzle with another cat one. Megumi didn't seem to notice the brief exchange, as she continued to walk to where the cash register was.

"You know," Megumi started, after they exited the store, cheerfully swinging her shopping bags. "I never understood why you hated riddles so much."

Ryuku groaned. "Isn't it enough that you bought two puzzles?"

"I _love_ riddles."

"Riddles are stupid."

**X**

Somehow, the end of their "shopping journey" brought them to the park. It was the very same park Megumi used to bring him to everyday afterschool. Memories of her youth flooded her mind. She could see herself, as a boy, hopping excitedly at his desk, eyes trained solely at the clock rather than his teacher. Like every child, his patience was very limited, especially when the clock was slowly ticking to the end of the school day. Once the bell finally sounded, Ryuku was one of the first kids outside. He'd sprint up to Megumi, tackling her with a burst of unbridled excitement and a tight bear hug.

Megumi whistled lowly, swiftly disrupting Ryuku out of her thoughts. "Wow. This place hasn't changed a bit."

She mustn't have seen the different set of money bars, painted in a shiny shade of bright crimson. Or the jungle gym crafted out of a sturdier and durable material. The giant cars on springs were replaced with horses and a unicorn for the girls. A small garden now took the space where a large metal slide used to reside.

Ryuku didn't bother to mention the differences to her.

But Megumi had been right about one thing: the swings hadn't changed. Megumi was the first one to sit down onto the rubbery faded orange seat. After setting her shopping bags down, she began to move her legs, letting herself slowly rock back and forth. Ryuku slipped onto the swing next to her. She stared straight ahead, ignoring the twist in her gust, and loosely grasped onto the chains. Even if this park brought back a magnitude of wonderful childhood memories, Ryuku had avoided stepping foot at this park. All of her precious recollections were easily overshadowed by – Ryuku shook her head. There was no need to revisit that thought, especially when Megumi was right next to her.

There were at least five parks in Nerima. The park where she had fought and lost to Takumi was now closed off from the public, due to the heavy amount of construction caused by the damage done by his mirror twins. There was yet another park, where she had spoken to Ayano about how "scary her brother was", and when she had gotten that frilly dress and those unbearable high-heeled shoes.

At this specific playground, this was where Ryuku –

Megumi's sudden question brought Ryuku's attention onto her. "Do you remember when I used to bring you here afterschool?"

Ryuku gave a curt nod.

"We'd be here for hours and hours," Megumi continued wistfully. "Then when your mom called to tell us we had to go home, you'd run off and hide somewhere and wouldn't let me find you."

Every time Ryuku had darted to a hiding spot, she'd watched Megumi aimlessly wander around the park. Part of her wanted to call her name, to let her know where she was hidden, but Megumi knew where she was. She simply pretended to be clueless. Ryuku never did understand why she would do that. She doubted she'd ever find the answer. "I wasn't hiding," Ryuku smoothly stated. "I was exploring, like every other boy does."

"You wouldn't stop crying when I found you," her former babysitter teased. "I'd pick you up and you'd try getting away!"

All Megumi had to do to stop Ryuku's tears was a simple kiss on the cheek. Since she didn't mention this, Ryuku didn't either. "I didn't cry."

"I admire a man who can cry and _admit_ it."

"I'm sure you do."

And just like that their lighthearted conversation came to an abrupt end. A brief silence settled around the two girls, before Megumi began to softly hum a lovely tune. Ryuku slouched in her seat. Her grip tightened on the chains, her palms sweaty and slippery on the cool metal. Suddenly, Megumi's humming stopped, and she hopped off her swing.

She stood behind Ryuku, pushing her forward. "Don't just sit there!" she laughed. "How do you expect to fly into space that way?"

While in midair, Ryuku leapt off and gracelessly landed onto the sand. Sand completely covered her feet. A reasonable amount of sand filled up the extra space in her flats, when Ryuku lifted her feet up. Having sand in her shoes was one of Ryuku's pet peeves, but she paid little attention to this, as she leveled her gaze with Megumi's. "I," she paused. "I'm sorry."

A puzzled smile was on her lips. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Why are you playing pretend?" Ryuku asked, only to wince a second later from the harshness in her voice. "Making me try on all those dresses, dragging me to those jewelry stores just to talk you out of buying stupid crap, bringing me to a toy store? And now we're swinging at the park? What were you planning on doing next? Taking me to Uncle Tofu's to talk him into giving us lollipops?" she wiped at her eyes, cursing herself for getting so worked up. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Megumi. Stop treating me like I still am one."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Although, she wore a smile on her lips, Ryuku could see her lips tremble.

"You know, I didn't mean to, I –" she gritted her teeth together, struggling to fight back tears. "You're… still… you're scared of me still, aren't you?" One of her hands pressed onto her pounding heart. "It all makes sense now. This whole day was just; it was a refresher, right? You were thinking back to the good times, before I –"

"Ryuku," Megumi breathed. "That's, you _know_ that's not even close to being the truth."

Ryuku laughed hollowly, tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yeah, it is."

Megumi stepped around the swings to slowly approach Ryuku, who cautiously stepped away from her. "Ryuku, please stop," she managed to place her hands onto Ryuku's shoulders. Due to their notable height differences, Megumi gazed down at the crying girl. "I keep forgetting you're not a little kid anymore. Old habits die hard. You're not a kiddo anymore," she moved her hands from her shoulders to ruffle Ryuku's bangs. "You're… a boy growing up."

"I can feel you shaking," Ryuku whispered, removing Megumi's hands. "You don't have to touch me."

She brought Ryuku into a tight embrace. "You dummy, I'm shaking because I'm crying," she murmured. "I love you. I'll always care about you. You're my kid brother, remember?"

Despite the pang of disappointment she felt, a soft laugh left Ryuku's lips. "Do you still want me to go?"

"Of course, I do," Megumi said. "How can you ask me that?"

"I don't want to keep… ruining your life."

Megumi broke their hug to glare at the girl in her arms. "Would you quit talking like that? Just stop it!" she exclaimed. "You are the greatest kid, no, _guy_ that I know. You got that?" she wiped her tears with the back of her hand, the one that wore the wedding ring. "When I said I admired a man who could cry, I meant a man with a good reason to cry. Otherwise, you're just being a girl."

"I'm a guy."

She sniffled. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Megumi tapped Ryuku's cheek with her palm. "Jeez, would you look at us? I bet my make-up's running," Black lines tracked down her cheeks but Ryuku kept silent. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

Ryuku nodded in agreement, watching Megumi fetch her bags. Once she was back at Ryuku's side, she held onto Ryuku's hand. Megumi gave her palm a comforting squeeze and then they left the park.

But Ryuku didn't feel any better.

**X**

A pleased purr resounded in Ryuku's bedroom. The source of the noise was from Seichi, who had found a comfortable spot on Ryuku's stomach. The content cat lounged onto his back with his paws in the air, mischievously swiping at Ryuku's fingers poised above him. Ryuku evaded the cat's paws to scratch Seichi's furry stomach. In his other hand, Ryuku held a photograph of Megumi in front of himself, studying her smile. The sudden knock on the door wasn't his mother. She wouldn't be home for several hours. Ryuku shifted on his bed, being mindful of Seichi, to shove the photo underneath his pillow.

Once the redhead was settled, he resumed petting Seichi. "Come in," slowly, the door swung open, exposing his double standing awkwardly in the doorway. "So, you finally decided to knock?"

Gashu shrugged.

Ryuku couldn't help but skim Gashu's appearance. Ignoring the beanie he wore, Gashu was wearing the required uniform perfectly. "You wore the uniform," Ryuku mused, somewhat impressed by his twin. "I thought you would've tossed it and did whatever you wanted."

His double leaned his body onto the doorframe, with his lips set into a thin line, while he started to fiddle with his pigtail. Although, he appeared to have a relaxed composure, Ryuku could tell Gashu wanted to say something. But for some reason he was remaining uncharacteristically quiet. It was rather disconcerting sight to see, unless Gashu was behaving like this on purpose. Ryuku's eyes narrowed at the other boy. Was Gashu mocking him? It sounded like something his double would do, especially since Ryuku had asked for him to act like him.

Somewhat suspicious, Ryuku decided to speak first. "What's up?"

Gashu's eyes were still on his braid. "Now, I get it."

Ryuku blinked, his suspicion already changing to confusion. "Get what?"

"Why you asked me if I was 'well liked back at home'."

Ryuku's petting gradually slowed down. The cat protested by playfully pawing at his master's shift sleeve, but Ryuku didn't seem to notice this. "So, now you think I must be some sick monster?"

"I don't know what to think!" Gashu shouted; his composure completely fell apart. "Why didn't you say anything, Red? When I asked you if there was _anything_ I should know," he swallowed. "I think something like this should've been mentioned! Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Stop exaggerating," Ryuku's fingers curled under Seichi's chin. "It's not that bad."

"Are you kidding me? _It's not that bad?_" Gashu seethed. "Some girl I walked flinched when I was fixing my beanie! Did she think I was going to hit her?" he didn't expect an answer from Ryuku, as he quickly continued. "I said 'hi' to a group of girls and they ran off screaming bloody murder! I tried helping a guy with his books and he pissed himself! If that isn't something you consider bad then, please, tell me what you consider as 'not that bad'."

"Maybe if you stopped acting like yourself, you'd see it the same way I do."

"How the hell do you expect me to not act like myself?"

Ryuku glared at his double. "Will you just relax?"

Gashu's jaw clenched. "Some prick was passing around newspapers about you. The stupid papers were all over the place. _Everyone_ was reading it, believing every single word printed on those pages. They didn't even think to question any of it. They just accepted it," he closed his eyes, struggling to calm his breathing. "I was so close to punching that guy's face in."

"You didn't!" Ryuku snapped, startling Seichi. "I wouldn't do something like that! Damn it! Did you do anything else stupid?"

"The shit he wrote about you," Gashu growled, ignoring Ryuku's harsh outburst. "I can't believe you just ignore all of this. You should've wiped that stupid smirk off that prick's face a long time ago."

"I," the redhead's shoulders slumped. He lifted Seichi off his stomach, holding him in the air to calm him down. The cat flailed his paws about, attempting to reach for Ryuku. "I got used to it, okay?"

"That Gosunkugi kid said this started since middle school," his double said. "What the hell did you do to deserve this kind of treatment?"

"It's none of your business! So, stop talking about it, because nothing's going to change anytime soon!"

Gashu slammed his fist onto the wall. "I'm getting really tired of you not answering me!"

"Well, please! Go ahead and leave dents all over my room! That'll make me want to tell you everything!" Seichi squirmed out of Ryuku's loosening grasp. He plunked onto the bed and began to climb the wall to reach the windowsill. "Why does this even matter to you? You have everything you fucking want! You have _everything_!" he shook his head, hoping he didn't sound as envious as he felt. "Why don't you just worry about yourself and butt out of my life!"

His double's eyes widened. "You…"

"I'm getting so tired of you," Ryuku snarled. "I keep waking up every morning, _praying_ that you were never here! That I must've finally gone insane and imaged this whole thing, but I guess you're never leaving. You're going to keep being a constant thorn in my side."

"I get it, Red, I'll leave you alone," Gashu said, his back facing Ryuku. "But make sure you do the same for me."

The door closed with a soft click.

**X**

In the early morning, a hazy mist had settled around the train station, blocking the city landscape of Nerima. There weren't many people cluttered at the station, the amount seemed docile compared to the holidays. Standing in the middle of everything was Ryuku, who was coerced by Megumi into wearing her outfit of the day: a loose fitting light brown sweater dress, black leggings, and open-toed flats. Having been in a sour mood since she left the dojo, Ryuku kicked at a pebble. Several hours prior, Ryuku had spent fifteen minutes in bed, over-thinking her decision for the umpteenth time. All it would've taken to get out of this was a quick text. Megumi would understand, responding back with a sad but accepting message. But Ryuku couldn't stand being the one to make Megumi lose her perfect smile. There was no way Ryuku was going to enjoy herself at the wedding, but if Megumi wanted her there, she'd be there for _her_. Maybe attending the ceremony could be beneficial to the both of them, if it gave Ryuku a chance to see Megumi's husband-to-be was, to see if he was worthy of spending his life with Megumi.

"Oh, I wish you could go!" Megumi cried; her arms wrapped tightly around Akane. "It would've been so much fun with you there, Mrs. Saotome!"

Akane returned the hug. "I wish I could go, too. But you know how difficult work is."

Megumi sighed, stepping back to show Akane her frown. "It's not fair though."

"I know how you feel. But at least you'll have _one_ Saotome there," Akane smiled in Ryuku's direction. "He'll be there for the both of us."

There was a sharp tug on the back of Ryuku's sweater, yanking her back a few steps. "Kiddo," Megumi positioned her in front of Akane, keeping her hands on her arms. "The train's going to be here any minute! Don't you want to say goodbye to your mom?"

The corner of Akane's smile twitched slightly under Ryuku's gaze. There was a hopeful glimmer in the older woman's eyes. Akane's hands fidgeted, as if she knew what would happen if she made the first move, if she initiated a hug. She clasped her hands in front of her, her smiling faltering. Megumi cleared her throat, nudging Ryuku forward with a small shove. Ryuku's grip on her baggage tightened, seeing her mother's smile slowly lose its authenticity.

Ryuku lowered her gaze to the ground, her bangs covering her vision. "Mom?"

"… Yes Ryuku?"

"Take care of Seichi for me, okay?"

She looked through her hair, seeing Akane nod curtly. "Don't worry," the smile was still on her lips. "I'll take good care of him."

When they boarded the train, Ryuku loaded all of their belongings into the top compartments above the seats. Megumi patiently waited in the aisle, letting Ryuku slip into the window seat. Through the window, Ryuku could see her mother outside, her hands still clasped together. Behind Ryuku, Megumi waved to Akane, saying more goodbyes despite Akane not hearing her words. As the train began to move, Ryuku could only watch as Akane grew smaller and smaller, until she was nothing but a speck. Something lightly thudded on the back of Ryuku's head. Touching where she'd been thumped, Ryuku turned to see Megumi had hit her with the lid from the puzzle box. After pulling down the tray on the seat in front of her, Megumi set the box onto Ryuku's lap, and began to lay out piles of pieces on the tray.

Shaking her head, Megumi said. "You didn't even say goodbye to her. Your own mother! Aren't you going to miss her?"

Ryuku leaned forward to put two pieces together. "You were serious about the puzzles?"

"You're changing the subject."

"You already know the answer."

There was a sigh. "Then you already know what I'm going to say."

"I know."

It was going to be a long train ride.


	25. Ch 19: Sounds of Wedding Bells: P2

**Chapter 19:** The Welcoming Sounds of Wedding Bells: Part 2

A deafening screech shook Gashu out of his slumber. His reflexes kicked in, smacking his hand onto the source of the offending loud noise. The double's abrupt slap canceled the sound, bringing silence in the room. Heaving a tired groan, he forced himself upright on his futon. Despite the blur clouding his vision, he squinted at the small black object set next to him. The heel of his palm scrubbed at his eyelids, as a half-hearted effort to see again.

"I don't remember moving that," Gashu mumbled, after realizing the object was Ryuku's digital clock. "I didn't even know that thing had an alarm."

His hand dropped onto his lap. Blearily blinking at nothing, Gashu was about to flop back down and grab a few more hours of sleep. But out of the corner of his eyes, he could see something lying innocently on the floor. Someone, that someone clearly being Ryuku, had slipped something under his door. Curious at what Ryuku could've left him, Gashu crawled over to the door, seeing the redhead had left him a folded piece of paper. Using his thumb and index finger, he picked up the paper, unfolded it, and then idly skimmed over Ryuku's message.

It was a list.

Or in better terms, a to-do list for Gashu to follow, while Ryuku was gone for the next several days.

Some part of Gashu expected to find some sort of odd worded apology left somewhere on the paper. He checked the other side, finding the rest of the list rather than a message. There wasn't any hint of remorse located anywhere on the sheet. Gashu didn't bother to act surprised at that. Ryuku wasn't going to apologize, unless, he wanted to be _slick_ about his apology. The redhead didn't seem like the kind of guy who would approach the person he had offended to admit his wrongdoings. Perhaps he preferred the more subtle route instead. The idea sounded absurd. Why would anyone go through the trouble of apologizing like that? It didn't make any sense.

But, just to be sure, he checked to see if he could decode some sort of apologetic message from Ryuku's list.

**X**

_His footsteps thumped onto the grass, as he sprinted faster and faster, traveling as fast as his scrawny legs could carry him. Adrenaline pulsed through his veins. His ears pounded from how fast his heart was hammering in his chest. Determined pants left his parted lips, as he kept his eyes trained on their usual meeting spot. As he was approaching closer, he couldn't fight off the excited grin forming on his lips. It wouldn't be long before he'd see Megumi waiting for him with outstretched arms and wearing a matching grin. He'd tackle her onto the grass with a hug and Megumi's laughter would fill his ears and his heart would feel like it could burst at any moment._

_But when he finally reached their spot, Ryuku was flabbergasted to see it was empty. His features marred in confusion. Ryuku checked left and right for any sign of his babysitter, but Megumi was nowhere in sight. Eventually, Ryuku's racing heart and quick breathes gradually slowed down. He swiped his forearm across his forehead, wiping off sweat and dirt. _

"_She must be late," Ryuku was quick to reason. "This hasn't been the first time I beat her to this spot." _

_He took a seat on the sidewalk, silently watching the other kids run up to their parents and leave. To pass the time, Ryuku snatched a rock to carve shapes and letters into the concrete. He wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been waiting. But it was long enough where Ryuku was one of the few kids left waiting to be picked up. If it had been anyone else, Ryuku would've walked home a long time ago, but Megumi wasn't just some person. No one was capable of making him easily flustered. No one else could easily bring a smile on his face or elicit bubbly laughter. There wasn't anyone else who could make his cheeks burn and heart pound. If he had gone home, he'd be leaving Megumi behind. The last thing he wanted to do was make her worried._

_Ryuku's heart soared when he finally heard a familiar voice call his name. "Kiddo, I'm here!"_

_With a grin already set on his lips, Ryuku leapt onto his feet. He would've waited days for Megumi, because no matter what happened he still had the chance to be with her. However, when his eyes found his babysitter, she wasn't alone. Standing next to her was a boy, who had his hand laced with Megumi's. Their fingers were even intertwined. Ryuku recognized the boy's uniform, as it belonged to every male that attended Megumi's high school. When the two teenagers were standing in front of him, Megumi crouched to Ryuku's level to tousle his hair._

"_Sorry for making you wait so long," she apologized. "I had to finish something up for school. You're so lucky you aren't in high school yet."_

_Ryuku stared at the side of Megumi's neck. There was a red spot. "Are we still going to the park?"_

"_Why wouldn't we?" Megumi stood onto her feet, letting her hand slip back into the boy's. "But before we go, there's someone here I want you to meet." There was a sparkle in her eyes when she looked at the boy. The smile she wore was different compared to the ones she gave Ryuku. "Kiddo, this is Genji."_

_Compared to Ryuku, Genji might as well have been a giant. Megumi barely reached the tip of his shoulders. Ryuku gaped at him, dropping his head to scrutinize the stranger before him at a better angle. The stranger's short black hair was sleek and combed neatly. Ryuku raked his fingers through his own hair, undoing the damage Megumi had done. Genji's bangs were brushed to the side, nearly covering his dark brown eyes. There was a black dot – his mother had told him they were called beauty marks – on his neck. Ryuku wondered if Megumi would've liked him more if he had one too. _

"_It's nice to meet you," Genji's paused, pursing his lips. "Kiddo, was it?"_

_Ryuku shook his head. "Only Megumi can call me that," he informed him firmly. "My name's Ryuku."_

"_Is that so?" Genji turned to Megumi with a smirk. "Does that mean I have some competition, Megumi?"_

_Megumi giggled behind her hand. "I guess so."_

_Genji's chuckle rubbed Ryuku off the wrong way. "Guess I'll have to fight for you then."_

"_You'll lose if you fight me," Ryuku frowned. "I'm a martial artist."_

_Genji raised his eyebrow at Ryuku's bold statement. "Is that so? Maybe you can teach me a thing or two then."_

"_You men are boring me," Megumi whined teasingly. "Let's go to the park already! Kiddo, I'll race you!"_

_Ryuku didn't have to be told twice, he broke into a sprint down the street. When he checked behind him to see how far Megumi was, he found she hadn't budged at all. _

_Instead, she was pressing her lips against Genji's. _

"Ryuku," A hand on Ryuku's shoulder gently brought her out of her stupor. "We're here."

Ryuku's eyelashes fluttered, before she fully opened her eyes. The first sight she was greeted with was Megumi's warm smile, which was still able to Ryuku's heart stutter. The dream, or the flashback, was surprisingly one of her more pleasant ones. It was around the time after the mirror incident when her sleep pattern became inconsistent. Frequently, Ryuku's sleep would be disturbed with horrifying memories she wasn't able to keep hidden in the back of her mind.

"Let's get going," Megumi announced, keeping Ryuku from the remnants of her dream. "You can go back to sleep once we meet up with the others."

Meeting new people was something Ryuku never looked forward to. Unfortunately, everyone attending Megumi's wedding was a stranger. This was yet another reason why Ryuku wasn't looking forward to the big event. Ryuku stretched her arms out in front of her, heaving a sigh. "Who are we meeting?"

"You'll be meeting my friends first, since they're coming to get us," Megumi said cheerfully. "Once we're at the hotel, you'll meet my family and then my soon-to-be in-laws. And at some point, you'll be meeting my fiancé."

"Sounds like fun," was Ryuku's less than enthusiastic remark.

Megumi moved out of her seat to remove their belongings from the above compartments. "Give them a chance, kiddo! I swear they're good people!"

Ryuku had planned to grab the bags herself, but stopped when she saw the puzzle lain out on the tray. Megumi had managed to finish the thousand pieced cat puzzle. "You actually finished it," she said astonished. "You finished the stupid puzzle."

"If someone stayed awake it would've been a lot more fun," Megumi taunted, while she struggled with a piece of their luggage. "But on the bright side, you _did_ stop complaining."

"You should let me get that."

But Megumi brushed off all of Ryuku's helpful efforts. "No way, I'm more than capable," she grunted. "To tell you the truth, I had some help."

Ryuku tried to sidestep Megumi to lend some assistance. "That's not surprising. I doubt anyone could finish a thousand pieced puzzle by themselves."

"Then you should've seen the guy who helped me," Megumi blocked each one of Ryuku's movements. "He really knew what he was doing. All of those tiny pieces were put in the right place in seconds. It was kind of cool!"

"Would you let me help you? You're going to hurt yourself!" was what Ryuku would've snapped, if she had ignored Megumi. Instead, Ryuku couldn't help but ask. "A random _guy_ helped?"

Megumi nodded. "I didn't really mind the help. He was nice to look at."

Ryuku's face twisted into a look of judgment.

"Don't look at me like that! Just because I'm engaged, doesn't mean I'm not allowed to look anymore," Megumi huffed, although she wore a grin. "His hair was a weird color. I think it was silver or maybe grey. It looked natural, like your red hair."

"Enough talk about this _random guy_. Weren't you in a hurry to get out of here?"

Megumi acted as if she hadn't heard Ryuku, since her rambling continued. "Did I mention his eyes yet? Get this! They were yellow! Or maybe they were gold. Whatever color they were, I didn't mind letting myself get lost in those –"

"Okay! I get it already!"

Through her laughter, Megumi gestured to the puzzle box on the floor. "If you're not going to do anything you could put the puzzle away."

"I was going to," Ryuku bit off the rest of her retort. "_Whatever_."

She hung Ryuku's dress onto the train's compartments, looking through the plastic wrapping for any wrinkles. "He was kind of gorgeous," she sighed dreamily. "If I wasn't about to get married, I would've asked for his number," Megumi jumped when Ryuku nudged the dress aside to give her a deadpanned stare. "I would've given it to you! You need a guy in your life."

Ryuku rolled her eyes, before she went back to putting every puzzle piece back inside the box. She gritted her teeth together, doing her best to ignore Megumi's constant yammering regarding the "dreamy, silver haired, golden eyed" stranger on the train. "You know," Ryuku couldn't hide her jealous tone. "Maybe he pitied you."

This time it was Megumi who nudged the dress aside. She raised her eyebrow at Ryuku. "Pitied who now?"

"What kind of _idiot_ can't solve a puzzle?"

Megumi's eyes narrowed on the girl before her. "Oh, really? Is that what you think?"

Ryuku shrugged, placing the lid onto the box, as she stood onto her feet. "Can we go now?"

"You're just jealous," Megumi stated matter-of-factly. She placed her hand on the small of Ryuku's back when she made it to the aisle. "We're leaving."

_Of course, I'm jealous_. "This is so exciting."

"Aren't you cute with your sarcasm?" Ryuku sent a glare over her shoulder when she heard Megumi murmur. "Damn, the guy already left!"

**X**

For the double, another day of school had ended not too long ago. While he was already half way to the dojo, something had reminded Gashu to check the list Ryuku had left him. A curse flew from his mouth when he saw the third thing down, which was right under: _1.)_ Don't_ act like yourself_ and _2.) _Don't_ be annoying_. What was written on the crinkled paper was: _3.) Pick up my cousin, Misaki, from school and walk her home (I don't care if you're bad with "fresh teenagers", get over yourself)._

This was how Gashu now found himself at Chuushinten Middle School, where he created himself a nice hiding spot in a tree. Said tree was conveniently located near the school gates, which Gashu certainly wasn't going to complain about. The spot provided him plenty of room to make a run for it if, there was a slight chance, he was at the wrong school. Slightly paranoid, Gashu leaned away from the leaves and thinner branches to check the school's name for the fifth time. A relieved sigh went past his lips when he confirmed, once again, that he was the correct middle school.

There were very rare times when Gashu was supposed to pick Miyuki up from school (this only happened whenever Grandpa Soun was unavailable or if things were getting hectic at the clinic for Uncle Tofu). One time, he had been fifteen minutes late, since Ryota had given him the wrong direction. Of course, part of the reason for his tardiness was Gashu's own fault. It was never a good idea to ask directions from a Hibiki of all people. But even if he was late, Miyuki still didn't have to run up to her evil mother and _cry_ about it. It wasn't like Gashu had abandoned her in the middle of nowhere. Maybe if Miyuki crammed the word "patience" into her vocabulary, she wouldn't have to complain about every little thing. Even if Michiru was as horrible as her mother, at least she didn't hold petty grudges like her sister.

Once the bell sounded, middle schoolers rushed outside and left the school yard in a hurry. Gashu's lips curled into a wistful smile. Memories of racing Ryota all the way from school to any destination they deemed entertaining flooded his mind. Usually, each one of their races led them to the arcade. Sometimes, Gashu would let Ryota win. But then the lost boy complained whenever this happened, demanding he'd rather win on his own. Other times when Gashu won, Ryota wouldn't be very far behind him. Whenever they raced, Gashu always stuck close to his friend, making sure he wouldn't get lost. When they reached the arcade they'd stay until they didn't have a single cent left in their pockets.

In the middle of his reminiscing, Gashu could spot one of the few students left; making her way to Gashu's hiding spot. The young girl appeared to be uneasy. Her head turned from side to side, while her eyes desperately searched for someone. Gashu studied the girl below, watching her nervously fiddle with the hem of her skirt, and then press her fingertips over her worried frown.

_Well, duh! No wonder she looks like that,_ he chided. _She's waiting for you, stupid._

Before doing anything Gashu brought his beanie over his head and revealed himself from his hiding spot. A startled squeak came from the girl next to him when he landed on the grass. The shock of Gashu's sudden appearance was enough to make her fall forward. Gashu's hand shot out to take hold of the back of her uniform. This time the girl squealed. With wide eyes, she glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes softened with relief when she saw Gashu's (or in her eyes, Ryuku's) face. The double gently set her onto her feet. He would've done something to apologize for scaring the poor girl, but his mind drew a blank when he was caught in a sudden embrace. Michiru and Miyuki would _never_ willing touch him. They wouldn't even accept a simple handshake from Gashu. Nothing could prepare Gashu for what was happening now.

_What am I supposed to do? Do I hug her back?_ _If I do nothing will she know I'm not Red?_ _I'm panicking over a hug! Girls hug you all the time, Gashu! This is pathetic! _In the end, Gashu settled with awkwardly patting the girl on the back.

"Ryuku," she grinned up at him with flushed cheeks. "You scared me!"

Gashu rubbed the back of his neck, his thumb bumped where his pigtail was pinned under his beanie. "Ah, sorry about that," he hesitated before he added, making sure to do his best Ryuku impression (he had been working on it all day). "I just didn't want to you think I ditched you."

The girl giggled. Miyuki could only wish she sounded that cute. "I know you'd never ditch me."

"Uh, yeah, guess so. So, uh," he closed his mouth. _Stop stuttering, dummy. She's only a thirteen year old girl! _"Let's go?"

**X**

There was a couple.

The boyfriend had his arm protectively wrapped around his girlfriend, evidently staking his claim to the lonely wandering males in the vicinity. The girlfriend rested her head on her boyfriend's shoulders. She was most likely pleased with her boyfriend's "protection", as she slipped her fingers inside the back pocket of his jeans. Ryuku looked away from the happy couple. That was the tenth couple she had counted, since they've been sitting on a bench. They were still at the train station, waiting for Megumi's friends to pick them up. Next to the cursed girl, Megumi was currently occupied with her cell phone, unaware of Ryuku's slight dilemma.

To distract herself from the many couples, Ryuku's fingers idly picked at the plastic bag covering her dress, which was laid across her lap. At Furinkan romance was considered to be a huge deal. The girls reveled in the idea of having their perfect male sweep them off their feet, showing her how it felt to be properly loved. They would gush about the overly attractive pretty boy in one of their mangas. Misaki had tried roping Ryuku into a manga series she enjoyed. But Ryuku cringed from how sparkly and annoying the men were and how flaky and desperate the supposed average-in-looks heroine was.

Ryuku would walk through the school halls, seeing couples holding hands and exchanging shy glances with flushed cheeks. Then there were the more "passionate" couples with their lips locked at the most inconvenient locations, completely lost in each other and uncaring of the other people who existed. Ryuku didn't enjoy breaking these certain couples apart, nor did she enjoy seeing them, but it was downright annoying when horny teenagers were being passionate in front of her locker. Occasionally, Ryuku avoided the topics of love and Ryou's undying and hopeless declaration towards Lotion by escaping to the rooftop. The roof proved to be an excellent location to isolate oneself from others. But there were times when Ryuku stumbled upon someone finally gathering the courage to confess to their crush. After the sixth time that happened (and the crush flat-out rejected them), Ryuku decided she was better off staying with Ryou.

Ryuku could admit she was _somewhat _jealous of couples. The entire student body was allowed to gossip to each other about their crushes, to be open about their relationship status. _They _were allowed to be in what they assumed was love. If Ryuku even dared to risk that chance, everyone would be in a state of panic. No girl would be safe from Bloody Knife Saotome's evil clutches. She wasn't desperate for people to know about her personal life. Ryuku only wanted to have the opportunity to say something without anyone jumping to disastrous conclusions. Even her best friend, Ryou, only knew so much about Megumi. If she told him anything at school; anyone could overhear and then the rumors would be twisted and exaggerated even more.

Even with her reputation, Ryuku was never good with the opposite sex (but she was considerably better than her best friend). In grade school, girls thought she was strange and kept their distance from her. Now, girls were terrified of the mere sight of her and still kept their distance. Turning into a girl never proved to be helpful either. There was still that nagging feeling that the looks she received now would change with a splash of hot water. Surprisingly, there were few girls who approached and propositioned her with the idea of starting a relationship. But the girls were all the same type: delinquents with a thirst for power. They'd throw themselves at Ryuku without a second though, promising her all sorts of bodily flavors, while wearing filthy smirks. With Ryuku's reputation, who wouldn't want to dubbed Bloody Knife Saotome's girlfriend when you could reap the benefits?

"There she is! I found her! Megumi, we're over here!"

A group of three girls was rushing towards them. Next to Ryuku, Megumi squealed, hopping onto her feet to exchange greetings with the girls crowded around her. Ryuku stayed planted on her seat, unsure of what she was supposed to do. If anyone knew anything it was Megumi. All she had to do was wait for some sort of signal from her. Once the girls initial burst of excitement died down, Megumi decided it was time to introduce Ryuku to her friends.

"Here she is!" Megumi squeezed Ryuku's shoulder. "This is the girl I was telling you all about: my replacement bridesmaid!" she pointed to each one of the girls. "That's Itsuko, just look at her ears if you're looking for her, because her ears are pierced like fifty million times." Itsuko gave a brief retort, but Megumi continued onto the next girl. "Kairi has a tattoo on the back of her neck. She was drunk when she got it," There was another angry reply. It went unheeded. "There's Reika. She smiles all the time and she's nice. But if there's ever a time when she's not smiling, just shout out her boyfriend's name, and she'll be more than happy."

The welcoming smile all three girls sent Ryuku's way did little to make her comfortable. Forcing on a smile of her own, Ryuku briefly skimmed each girl, checking to see if she could place a name on any of them.

One of the girls, there was an oddly sharpened heart on her neck, spoke first. "Well, aren't you gorgeous? It's a good thing, Sakebi, dropped out! If she saw who her replacement was, she'd throw a hissy fit!"

"Don't say that!" Megumi hushed Kairi. "I'm sure she feels awful that she couldn't make it!"

From her earrings, Ryuku assumed Itsuko was the one who added onto Kairi's statement. "Trust us, Megumi. The girl probably did this intentionally."

"That's not –" the rest of Megumi's sentence was cut off by a gasp. "Wait a second! Where's Arisu?"

Based on her friendly smile, Reika was the one to calm Megumi down. "Don't worry. She's here. She found something she liked at one of the shops close by and told us she'd catch up."

Megumi glared down at her phone in her hand. "And she didn't tell me?" she frowned. "I'll complain to that girl when she shows up. Let's get going. I'm sure Ryoko wants to get moving."

While Megumi and her friends animatedly chatted to each other, Ryuku deliberately staggered behind the group. There was no real point mingling with them. Ryuku didn't belong here. She was a stranger who had no right to invade. Ryuku glared down at the dress in her hands. It was one of the many constant reminders on what she was doing here. She was only for Megumi's wedding, nothing else. When she head a loud squeal, Ryuku looked up to see Megumi dart forward to hug a girl walking up to the group. Once the pair broke apart, Megumi pointed at Ryuku as she talked to the girl. Soon enough, the girl was standing in front of Ryuku. There was yet another girl greeting her with a friendly smile. Was everyone always so happy in Itabashi? It almost made Ryuku miss Nerima.

"Are you Ryoko?"

"That's me."

"Hello! It's so nice to finally meet you. I'm Megumi's maid of honor, Arisu Matsuda. Normally, I'm not late to these kinds of things, but I saw something and had to get it," she brought her arms behind her bag to reveal a white bag. "This is for you! Think of it as a welcoming gift."

All Ryuku could do was stare at the bag. "Um," was what Ryuku said, before she hesitantly accepted the gift. "Thank you. You didn't need to do that."

"Hopefully, you like it. I'm not sure what you teenagers like nowadays."

Ryuku resumed walking forward. Megumi's group was way ahead of them, but Ryuku had no intentions of hurrying to catch up. "That's okay."

Arisu fell into step next to her. "I've heard so much about you and your family," Ryuku bit her tongue, not wanting to ask Arisu to elaborate her statement. Arisu checked behind her, before a puzzled frown went on her lips. "Your mother didn't come with you?"

"She couldn't make it. She had too much work to do."

"That's a shame. I'm sure she's a lovely woman. She must be proud to have such a beautiful daughter."

Eventually, her curiosity became too much that Ryuku couldn't help but ask: "Megumi talked about me?"

"She told me a bunch of stories about you," Arisu laughed. "About how she used to babysitter and your brother," she trailed off, pausing to recollect a false sibling's name.

"Ryuku."

"Yeah, that's his name," Arisu said. "He couldn't make it either?"

"… No."

"I hope you don't feel too uncomfortable. We're all friendly here," Arisu put her hand on Ryuku's shoulder. "And if you do find yourself even a teensy bit uncomfortable, don't hesitate to look for me. Okay?"

Did this woman really think she'd agree to something like that? They haven't even spent ten minutes together, yet Arisu was offering a supportive shoulder to lean on. But she was friends with Megumi, close enough friends to be called her maid of honor. Megumi thought she was trustworthy, which meant Ryuku could too. "Alright, I'll do that. Thanks."

"The only person I have here with me is my boyfriend. He's too busy with 'guy things' so I'm by myself, too. We can keep each other company."

_Right, because misery loves company._ Ryuku forced her smile to widen. "Sounds like a good idea."

**X**

Whenever Gashu spent time with his cousins, Michiru and Miyuki, the last word he'd use to describe his time with them would be: fun. Not only did Michiru refuse to speak to him, she was also very adamant about being in the same room as him. Apparently, her IQ level dropped after every second she was forced to look at the idiotic redhead. Miyuki wasn't nearly as bad as her older sister, but she certainly wasn't any better. The girl was completely two-faced. One second, she wanted to be Gashu's best friend. Whenever this happened, Miyuki would do anything to make her cousin happy and comfortable. But it wouldn't be long until she dumped him as a best friend and ratted him out on something she had done herself. The girl even had the gull to crawl to her mother and stutter through her crocodile tears that Gashu took advantage of her nice behavior. Miyuki's acting was so flawless that Gashu had stupidly believed he could trust her with several of his secrets. By the end of the day, _everyone_ in Nerima knew about his troubles sleeping without his stuffed turtle (it was a childhood secret but people still bugged him about it for weeks). Fortunately, he hadn't been foolish enough to tell the conniving little brat any of his major secrets.

Gashu kicked at a pebble on the road, his somewhat decent day ruined by his cousins, who were in a different Nerima altogether. _How could anyone stand to be around these spoiled brats?_ Fingertips brushed onto his wrist, Gashu would've slapped the hand away if it hadn't been Ryuku's cousin. Instead, he simply shoved his hand into his pants pocket and glared at the shapeless clouds in the sky.

As the pair walked down the street, Gashu heard a soft sniffle next to him. He tensed. The worst situation to be in was when a girl was crying. There was no possible solution to stop a sad girl's tears. This was the exact reason why whenever Gashu was breaking up with a girlfriend, he made sure she was the one doing the dumping, as it saved him from the tears. The girl had been trying to hold onto his hand ever since they walked past the school gates. Swallowing, Gashu spared a brief glance at the girl. His back straightened when she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. If he kept this up, Gashu wouldn't doubt that the poor girl would burst into tears at any second. The girl didn't even look remotely similar to Michiru or Miyuki. All she looked like was an innocent little girl. She was almost doll-like from how fragile and petite she was. It was hard to believe she was in middle school.

Taking a deep breath, Gashu offered his hand to the girl. "Um, sorry about that," the smile she gave him was blinding. When she slipped her tiny hand in his, Gashu used a loose grip. He wasn't going to risk hurting the poor girl. "I was just, you know, thinking about some stuff."

The girl nodded, as if she understood. "Were you thinking about someone?"

Maybe if his cousins were anything like the little girl next to them, he'd be able to tolerable them somewhat. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Gashu barely felt her squeeze his palm. "Is it Megumi?"

While the double was surprised that Misaki knew about Ryuku's crush, his surprise was overtaken by the girl's bitter tone. "Sort of," Gashu played along, curious to see how their conversation would turn out.

"You're better off without her."

The double swung their joined hands. _Whoa, didn't expect to hear that, _he smiled at Misaki's giggle, feeling strangely content at being able to make her happy. _If only my cousins were this easy to please._ "You think so?"

"I know so."

"You know, you're right, Miyu –" he snapped his mouth shut, before he left Michiru's name slip next. _Shit. I forgot her name_. "Hey, want to know what sounds like a good idea right now?"

Misaki looked up at him, puzzled. "What?"

"Why don't we go somewhere?" He assumed kids still liked candy. Hopefully, the candy shop where he and Ryota used to stop by existed in this Nerima. "I know a really cool candy store we could go to. Sound like a good idea?"

Misaki's face beamed. "Yeah, let's go!"

**X**

Arisu's gift was a pair of necklaces.

The necklaces were meant to be worn by couples. Ryuku tilted the clear box to the side, watching the silver chains move from one part of the box to the other. All kinds of couples at school had to stake their claim on their significant others somehow. There was a broken heart charm necklace. The only way to have a full heart was once the respected couple linked their pieces together. Then there were bracelets or wristbands brandishing the other's name, hanging loosely on their wrists, displaying their ownership to the world. There were even matching rings declaring their love on the small amount of space the ring provided. Sometimes, there were the couples that resorted to tattoos, permanently inking their skin with their undeniable love.

"I know they're cheesy, but I thought they were cute," Arisu gave a slight shrug when she met Ryuku's eyes. "I even bought Narashi and me one, too. Don't worry, they're a different set, you won't have to match with an old lady and her old man."

The necklaces didn't have anything related to hearts. There was nothing really specific about them. Dangling from the chairs were, ironically, two blank puzzle pieces. There wasn't anything romantic about that. Maybe they were meant for friendships instead. Ryuku bit back a snort, imaging how Ryou would react if she gave him one. The most ridiculous part for her was when she envisioned herself linking the necklace together with her best friend. Shaking her head, Ryuku placed the box back inside the bag and set it underneath her chair. With nothing else left to do, Ryuku looked around the impressive sized hotel room Megumi brought her to. Ryuku hadn't been told where she'd be staying yet, but she didn't mind if she ended up sleeping on the floor. As long as she was somewhere nice and quiet, she wouldn't utter a single complain. Across the room, Megumi was fussing about and talking at an incredible speed. Megumi's friends seemed to be able to understand her jumbled words, as they bobbed their heads in agreement.

Where the future bride went, her three friends tagged dutifully along after her.

When the group had arrived at the hotel, Ryuku was floored with a room of people. Megumi introduced her to a bundle of people at a time, as she dragged her to the elevator. There was no point to remember any names or specific faces. It wasn't like she was going to see any of these people again in the near future. All she could remember were the smiles flashed in her direction and the unnecessary compliments tacked along with them. Ryuku wasn't sure why she agreed to go. It was a bad idea from the start. She was a stranger. She was intruding. She didn't belong.

Arisu cleared her throat, signifying her presence. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Ryuku shrugged. "If that's what you want to do."

"You look so lonely," Arisu told her, as she slipped onto the empty seat next to Ryuku. "It looked like you needed some company."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"Believe me, you're not being a bother," was Arisu's firm assurance. "Megumi's freaking out over _everything_. I've already had to calm down her last four panic attacks. I think the girls can take care of her for me. I need a break." Her smile drooped slightly, seeing Ryuku's gloominess. "You're really bumming me out with that frown. I bet you'd look even prettier with a smile on."

A small smile played across Ryuku's lips. She wondered if Arisu could tell it wasn't quite genuine.

"Are you homesick?"

Again, Ryuku shrugged, bowing her head forward.

"You've got to be a little bit homesick," Arisu said, trying to coax something out of the girl. "Is there something else that's bothering you? Are you lovesick?"

Ryuku's head whipped up, she gaped at Arisu in shock. _Am I that obvious?_

With a small smile, Arisu's fingers brushed Ryuku's hair away from her eyes. "I could tell. It's a boy back home, isn't it?" she cupped the side of Ryuku's face, tucking several black tresses behind her ear. "Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?"

Ryuku shied from the older woman's touch. "N-no," she weakly stuttered out, lowering her head to let her hair cover the disgusted expression she wore. "It's not… no. Not even close."

"Not a boyfriend? Is it a boy who," she paused. "Let me guess. You confessed to a boy and he didn't feel the same way."

A soft chuckle left Ryuku's lips. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Oh, we've all been there, sweetie," Arisu said, her voice full of gentle assurance. "Don't worry you'll find someone better."

The next chuckle was strained. "I doubt it," Ryuku murmured. "I don't think anyone will ever make me feel the same way again. In my eyes, they're… they're perfect. Ever since the day I met them, they took my heart and I don't think I'll ever get it back."

"Whoa! That's deep feelings coming from a high schooler! Ryoko, you may feel like this now, but _trust me_, that's just your broken heart speaking. You'll find that guy. He's out there somewhere waiting for a girl like you. If Megumi and I can find our guys, then you can too!" Arisu threaded her fingers through Ryuku's hair. "Now, stop hiding that pretty face of yours."

Ryuku's hand snapped around Arisu's wrist, seizing her in place. "Is Megumi really happy?"

The shock on Arisu's face wore off rather quickly. "Now, she is. When we first met in college, Megumi was a complete mess. I felt so bad for her. She kept herself closed off from everyone… especially guys. She wouldn't let any one of them near her."

There was a lump in Ryuku's throat. _She was like that because of me. _She swallowed uneasily, before she asked. "How'd they meet?"

"An unintentional double date," Arisu laughed from the memory. "We were supposed to all hang out and, well, have lots of fun! We just finished slaving over a really hard semester. But some people either had to drop out or had other plans. It was just the four of us: me, Megumi, my boyfriend Narashi, and his friend Yasuo. As the night went on, they totally hit it off."

Ryuku nodded, taking in what she was just told. "And he makes her happy?"

"For the few years I've known, I'd say this is the happiest I've ever seen her," her hand moved to cup Ryuku's shoulder. "Megumi told me things, about all those jerks she dated in the past. I'm sure you know more than anyone about those guys. Yasuo's a compete sweetheart. He's head over heels for Megumi, she makes him happy, and he makes her happy. He treats Megumi right."

"… I can't wait to meet him."

**X**

"Wow!" Gashu said, taking in the sight of the candy shop. "The place hasn't changed at all!"

The shop was right where Gashu remembered it would be at back home. There were a few subtle differences here and there such as: the name, the candy store's cartoony mascot (which was now a rabbit rather than a frog), and the store had expanded in size. After giving Misaki an affirmative nod, the pair walked through the glass doors of the shop. As Misaki marveled at all the sugary sweets displayed through the shop, she looked even younger, especially when she was literally bouncing with excitement. She tugged at Gashu's uniform sleeve, pointing and asking and squealing.

When Gashu was Misaki's age, he hadn't acted any better than the girl. Whenever he came with Ryota, the two boys would form the best plan, which would score them the most candy. Most of their mischievous ploys involved either one or both of their Jusenkyo curses. The elderly women at the store were suckers for an adorable lost black piglet roaming around in their shop. It was the icing on the cake when Gashu showed up, as a sobbing little girl distraught at having lost her beloved pet. The pair would leave with bags crammed full of an assortment of treats that would last for several days, until they had to brainstorm yet another plan to earn themselves even more treats.

With a slight bounce in his step, Gashu picked up a pink basket. He gestured to the shop with his hand, acting as if he were a knight guiding a princess to the castle. "Shall we, your highness?"

It turned out that kids did, in fact, still like candy. But how much sugar was a kid allowed to eat, before they threw up rainbows? The double had more than plenty of his share of stomach aches. They used to hole up in Gashu's room, bags of candy surrounding them as a makeshift shield, and see who could eat the most candy in a certain amount of seconds. After a few cavities, headaches, several painful trips to the toilet and the clinic – their candy eating contest was not deemed as one of their best ideas.

The workers at the store were a complete sucker for Ryuku's cousin. All the girl had to do was take cover behind Gashu's legs, occasionally sneaking a shy peek at the cashier, and then flash the worker a bashful smile. Hooked, lined, and sinker. Gashu had to applaud the girl's performance, because he sure didn't teach her that. He'd have to remember to ask Ryuku about it later. Most of the candy Gashu was lugging in Ryuku's schoolbag was practically thrown at them, as if they were in a delicious tropical rainstorm. It was a good thing Gashu had dumped nearly all of Ryuku's contents out of his bag, before he left for school. The double munched into his candy bar, while Misaki was perfectly content with her swirly lollipop.

Around his mouthful of candy, Gashu asked. "It is good?"

"It's yummy!" Misaki licked the remaining sugar off her bottom lip. "How come you've never brought me here before?"

The double's casual stroll staggered slightly. _Was this something Red wouldn't do?_ "Uh, I wanted to save it for a good day?"

Wearing a shiny smile, Misaki pointed the end of her lollipop at the candy Gashu held. "You even got candy, too!"

Now, Gashu was having trouble chewing. "Is that bad?"

"It's not bad," she assured him, giggling. "You just don't like sweets, remember?"

_Red doesn't like sweets? Why am I not surprised by that?_ To avoid looking suspicious, Gashu decided it was time to chance subjects. "So, did you have a nice day at school?"

Misaki's smile changed into a slight pout. "It wasn't too bad."

"You don't sound very happy. Did something happen?"

"No," Misaki uttered, albeit a tad too quickly. "Takumi doesn't talk to me anymore. Not after everything that happened. Sometimes, I catch him looking at me, when he thinks I don't notice. But… there's nothing wrong, Ryuku, I swear. I'd tell you if there was something wrong."

At the sudden mention of a potential opponent, Gashu couldn't shake off his excitement. He'd been itching for a good fight. _This Takumi kid is a middle schooler?_ But when he saw that Misaki was no longer happy, he scolded himself for being so selfish. After he managed to find out Misaki's dilemma, he'd fight to his heart's content. "Then what's the problem?"

Misaki reached out to hold Gashu's hand. "Thanks for showing me that candy shop, Ryuku."

_Well, that didn't work out so great. _"No problem."

"When we get to my house," she paused, pursing her lips. "Do you think you can stay for awhile?"

There was nothing on Ryuku's list mentioning that he _had_ to stay at Misaki's house after dropping her off. But spending a few more hours with the kid wouldn't be so bad. Maybe if he played his cards right he'd be able to charm his way into finding out what was bothering the girl. No one was able to resist Gashu Saotome's charm. But then again, Ryuku certainly didn't have any charm. _You're supposed to be acting like, Red. If she doesn't want to tell you anything, then you'll leave her alone._ Gashu sighed. It was hard being Ryuku. "I guess I could, for a little bit."

"Ryuku," Misaki tugged at Gashu's wrist when they turned right at the street corner. "What are you doing?"

Gashu blinked. "What's wrong?"

"You're going the wrong way. My house is that way, remember?"

This was the exact path that he used to take to go to Miyuki's house. It never occurred to the double that _Misaki's_ house could be located in an entirely different area. "Hey, Misaki," mentally, Gashu patted himself on the back for finally remembering the girl's name. "Do you want to play a game?"

"Sure! What are you supposed to do?"

"Here's what you're going to do. Are you listening?"

Misaki nodded, patiently waiting to hear Gashu's directions.

"Okay, here goes," the double announced. "I'm an… imposter, who took the real Ryuku away," Misaki's eyes widened. "Sounds crazy, right? The only way you can get your Ryuku back is if, uh, you run to your house as fast as you can. If I catch you, you're stuck with me and you'll never see your cousin again!"

"That's awful! I don't want to be with an imposter!"

"I know it is! That's why you better hurry up and run!" Misaki darted down the street. "Hurry, Misaki! Or else you'll never get him back!" Shaking his head, Gashu chased after the girl, doing his best to impersonate a fake Ryuku in a Ryuku-like manner.

**X**

Nothing had changed in the hotel room. Megumi was suffering from another panic attack, while clutching at different colored cloths in her hands. Arisu sat next to Megumi on the edge of the bed, rubbing her hand on Megumi's back, while the three girls tried calming the bride-to-be with soothing phrases. Ryuku would've moved to help to help in some way, if her phone hadn't started to ring. When she retrieved her phone from her bag, the caller ID was labeled as: _Don't Answer Ever_. It was her favorite double Gashu. Unfortunately, Ryuku had no choice but to answer the call. All sorts of hazardous things could be happening in Nerima and she wouldn't know a thing about them. Gashu was the only person who could provide her information about _anything_. If he was calling her, there was always that slim chance he was phoning for an actual reason.

Ryuku flipped her phone open and pressed her phone against her ear. The first four words she greeted her double with were: "What did you do?"

There was an offended scoff on the other line. "Well, hello, to you too! I didn't do anything. I'll have you know that I've been a very good 'Ryuku' today."

"Then why are you calling me? If you're expecting an apology, I'm –"

Gashu's snort cut her off. "Chill out. I'm not expecting anything from you," he told her. "I just wanted to know how things were going over there. You're in Itabashi, right? Are you having any fun? Or are you moping around and making everyone else miserable?"

"I'm hanging up."

"Okay, someone's grumpy," Gashu said. "I take it that you _are_ having a crappy time."

Megumi lifted herself off the bed, seeming to have calmed down, to leave for another room. At least there was one less thing to worry about. Ryuku pinched the bridge of her nose. "Would you get to the point already?"

"I'm at Misaki's right now."

Ryuku bit her lip. "How is she? You've been on your best behavior, right?"

"I may not be that great around young ones, but I'm not a total jerk to them!" the double said. "All I did was treat her to some candy. Also, today I learned something: you apparently don't have a very big sweet tooth. That's pretty lame, Red."

"I don't," Ryuku tapped her fingernail onto the armrest of the chair. "She didn't eat too much candy did she?"

There was a pause. Ryuku hated every second of it. "Define what you mean by 'too much'."

"Just don't let her go too crazy. She'll get a stomachache and her dad wont like that."

"She's totally fine," there was another pause. Ryuku grounded her teeth together. Was he doing that on purpose? "Well, sort of."

"Explain."

"I asked her how school was. She seemed kind of shifty on the subject," Gashu must've known what Ryuku was about to ask, as he quickly added. "It's that not Takumi kid if that's what you're thinking about. She told me that he wasn't bothering her anymore."

A relived sigh blew past her lips. She cared about Megumi a great deal, but if Takumi was causing anymore problems for Misaki, she would've headed back to Nerima without a thought. There was no way she was going to let Takumi harass her cousin anymore. "Did she say anything else?"

"She didn't really want to say anything else. She's keeping something from me but I didn't push her. I figured that was something you wouldn't do."

_I'll ask her about it when I get home_. "But other than that, she's fine?"

"She's totally fine," Gashu reassured her. "Boy, are you thorough. You sound like you might as well be her mom!"

"Just make sure she's happy."

"Don't worry, that's what I'm doing," he huffed. "I'll let you get back to your wedding."

"… Yeah, thanks."

"Hey, have a good time, alright? This is supposed to be the greatest day for her."

"Goodbye." Ryuku snapped her phone shut, her other hand clutched at the armrest of her chair._ That idiot thinks he knows everything! _

"Who were you talking to?" Since her hair was tied up, Ryuku could clearly see her ears. Standing in front of her was Itsuko and Kairi, who tended to rub at the tattoo on her neck. Ryuku hadn't even noticed she wasn't the only one in the room. When Megumi left, she had assumed her posse had followed after her. "Was it someone back home?"

Kairi nudged her with her elbow. "I bet it was a boyfriend," she snickered. "Was it your boyfriend?"

Before Ryuku had a chance to answer, the two girls simply laughed and left Ryuku to herself. She slumped in her seat, tossing a glare at her phone. "Have a good time?" Ryuku dropped the mobile device onto the floor. "Yeah fucking right."

**X**

After every hour that passed, the official day of the wedding was slowly approaching. To celebrate such a joyous occasion, both of the couple's loving parents reserved an entire five star restaurant to share a special dinner with family and close friends. There was a hefty amount of space located in the front of the dining hall, which served as a dance floor. Tables were neatly scattered evenly, seating eight people at each table. Buffets were lined up on all fours side of the room, serving a variety of gourmet dishes. Servers strolled throughout the area, holding silver treys with desserts or sparkling drinks in expensive glasses. There was a slow tune currently being played on the piano, the crowd dancing eventually separated into pairs, holding each other close while they swayed to the piano's graceful melody. Guests were laughing as they dined, using perfect dinner etiquette. Overall, the atmosphere was relaxing. Everyone was put at ease.

Yet through all the joyous commotion, Ryuku stayed seated at her table, poking at her food with a fork. The rest of her table, which was essentially filled with strangers, had finished eating and decided to leave for the dance floor. Ryuku was thrilled she was able to have some solitude. The current setting was unnerving. Getting invited and being able to dine at a fancy restaurant wasn't something that happened every day. Males were dressed in their finest tuxedos, with their hair slicked back and not a single wrinkle found on their suits. Women wore stunning dresses and adorned their body with every piece of jewelry they had. Ryuku fidgeted in her seat, the nicest dress she brought with her was something her Aunt Kasumi gave her. Her simple purple frock might as well have been filthy rags compared to the rest of the party guests.

The whole scenario was only another reminder that Ryuku didn't belong here.

Suddenly, a deep voice rumbled dangerously close to Ryuku's ear. "Hey there, is this seat taken?" Without waiting for an answer, an empty chair was pulled aside and a body plopped down. "I don't think we've met before. I'm the groom's cousin. You're one of Megumi's bridesmaids, right? You filled in at the last second?"

Ryuku kept her eyes on her plate. "Yes, I am."

"That's funny. It just so happens that I'm one of Yasuo's groomsmen," he said through a chuckle. "If you want, I could help you out."

"I've already got plenty of help."

His chair scooted closer to Ryuku to pluck her fork from her fingers. "Playing hard to get?"

Ryuku's hand closed into a fist. The guy was lucky he had taken her fork from her; she would've plunged the utensil right into his thigh. Instead, Ryuku turned to him with a lengthy retort on her lips, but was cut off by another voice joining their conversation. "Can you please stop hitting on everyone?"

Yasuo's cousin looked over his shoulder. "I wasn't hitting on _everyone_," he informed the voice coolly. "All I was doing was talking to someone closer to my age. I was making friends is all, I swear."

"I'm sure you were," the male behind them snorted. "Now, why don't you go leave the poor girl alone. Go get something to eat."

Before he left, Yasuo's cousin winked at Ryuku. "We'll talk later, okay?"

"I'm really sorry about that. He's just really straightforward," the young man told her, sighing. "Not all of us in the Fuchida family are like that. In fact, most of the guys are horrible with women. I still can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow," noting Ryuku's lack of reaction, he cleared his throat. "Sorry, lame joke. Um, anyway, I'm Yasuo Fuchida. It's nice to finally meet you, Ryoko. Megumi's told me a lot about you."

Ryuku gaze turned scrutinizing as she analyzed the man before her. There certainly wasn't anything extraordinary about him. Yasuo was fairly average in looks with his short brown hair, round brown eyes, and somewhat frail stature. Yasuo's suit didn't quite fit his standard frame; the sleeves of his jacket tie were rolled up to his elbows, while the hem of his pants exposed his ankles. His white socks greatly contrasted with the dark colors of the room, as did the bright green silk tucked under his shirt collar. Megumi's taste in men had always been questionable, but the one thing they had in common were their attractive appearance and presence. If Ryuku had passed Yasuo in the streets, she wouldn't have spared him a second glance – he was quite forgettable, yet somehow he remained memorable in Megumi's eyes. This was the guy who was going to marry Megumi.

She returned to her plate, picking up her spoon to drag the utensil through oddly colored mush. _Megumi Fuchida? Doesn't that have a nice ring to it?_ The spoon scraped loudly across the plate. "Megumi hasn't really mentioned you."

A soft laugh came from the fiancé. "I don't blame her," he said. "Megumi's too busy with the wedding. She keeps panicking over every itty bitty thing. There's no point trying to calm her down, she'll find something else to panic about."

Suddenly, arm encircled Yasuo's torso, trapping him in a backwards hug. "Don't believe a word he says!" the top of Megumi's head peered above Yasuo's shoulder, locking eyes with Ryuku. "He's a terrible liar! He's a slanderer!"

Yasuo placed his hand over where Megumi's clasped hands held him. "Megumi, you're just in time! I was just about to tell Ryoko about the time you –"

"You better not be saying anything bad about me! I can still call this wedding off, you know!" Megumi told her fiancé. She gave him a brief peck on the cheek, before she shoved past him to slip into a vacated seat at Ryuku's table. "I'm glad you two finally had the chance to meet! I used to babysit this troublemaker."

Yasuo stood behind Megumi's chair, resting his hands over her shoulders. "Are you sure you weren't the one getting in trouble?"

Megumi lightly slapped the hand on her left shoulder. "How can you say that?" with her nose turned in the air, she shrugged off Yasuo's hands. "Get out of here. You've caused more than enough trouble for the poor girl."

"Hey! I was saving the poor girl from my cousin!"

"Well, you're cousin isn't here anymore now is he? Looks like your job was successful, your presence is no longer needed." She waved him off with a wave of her hand, as if she were dismissing a servant of some sort.

Yasuo rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll leave," he bent down to kiss Megumi. When the pair broke away, he sent Ryuku a kind smile which wasn't returned. "It was nice meeting you, Ryoko."

Megumi's eyes followed after Yasuo, until he was swallowed up in a small crowd gathered near the dance floor. A pleased sigh left her lips, before she turned her attention back onto Ryuku. "So, what do you think about him? He's a sweetie pie, right?" she squeezed Ryuku's bicep. "Kiddo, are you having a good time?"

Before Ryuku had a chance to answer, this time an elderly couple decided to drop by and some time with the bride-to-be. The couple both wore matching friendly smiles, as they exchanged greetings and congratulated Megumi on all of her successes in the past and in the future. During this exchange it was as if Ryuku was invisible, an extra body taking up space at a table.

The small old woman cupped Megumi's face in her hands, caressing her thumbs on her cheeks. "You've grown up to be such a fine young lady," she murmured, her voice trembling from happiness and age. "I'm sure you look beautiful in your wedding dress."

Ryuku noticed Megumi's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Mr. and Mrs. Enomoto, I'm glad you to could make it!" she waited until the woman removed her hands, before she made Ryuku's presence known to the couple. "This is Ryoko. She's one of my bridesmaids," she leaned closer to Ryuku, murmuring lowly. "I'm going to go walk them back to their table and talk for a bit. I'll be right back, okay? Don't go anywhere."

Hanging above an exit was a large digital clock, Ryuku counted every minute that passed without Megumi. She approached approximately half an hour, when Megumi returned holding a bouquet of pink roses. The bouquet was set onto the table, a card attached to the plastic wrapping. Ryuku would've looked over the card, to see who had given her the flowers and tell them that Megumi preferred chrysanthemums to roses. But the expression Megumi wore was what caught Ryuku's attention first. Megumi reclaimed her seat, keeping her hands clutched together on her lap. Her eyes were trained onto the table cloth, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"… Are you okay?"

"That's right," was what Megumi said, increasing Ryuku's confusion even more.

"What?"

"You wouldn't recognize them. I forgot you never met them," she bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't sure if they were going to come or not. I haven't spoken to them in years. It was my parents who kept in touch. In fact, they're… they're really good friends with them now."

"I don't understand. What are you apologizing for? Who are you talking about?"

Megumi lowered her head. "Ryuku, those were… his parents."

Ryuku was about to repeat herself, she still didn't understand anything. But then suddenly something inside her head clicked, Ryuku's eyes widened. "Those, they were," her fingertips pressed onto her forehead, as she struggled to form an actual sentence.

"My parents became close them after…"

Everything made sense now. The wedding card withholding the invitation part, Megumi coming all the way to Nerima, being asked to be her bridesmaid, to be a _girl_ – why didn't she think of this before, of course everything would link onto that one thing. The one thing Ryuku could never get away from, could never forget. It always came back. "So, they're the reason I couldn't –"

"Yes."

"Oh god," Ryuku whipped her head left and right, scanning the area with wide terrified eyes. "Is he –"

"No," Megumi cut in, taking hold of Ryuku's hand with a vice grip. "He's not here."

**X**

Time really did fly by when someone was having fun. Or at least in Gashu's case it did. Spending time with Misaki was a lot more entertaining than he'd expected it to be. They played all sorts of board games, where Gashu discovered that Misaki was an expert at just about anything. If there was an Anything Goes style of board games located somewhere, Misaki would be the master of the style. When Gashu had lost for the umpteenth time at another unfamiliar game, he accepted his defeat with grace (or at least more grace than Grandpa Soun, who turned out to be an even bigger sore loser in Ryuku's Nerima). If there was a next time, he wouldn't mind asking the girl for some pointers.

After board games, he was introduced to Misaki's new pet fishes, before they were brought to their official home at the clinic's aquarium. There was story time, which would be the point where Gashu protested – he was fifteen years old, he'd been past the age for bedtime stories _centuries_ ago – but it turned out Misaki was an amazing storyteller. The double had listened intently to every word Misaki read off page after page. Before Gashu knew what was going on, it was time for dinner. Kasumi had insisted that Gashu stay, informing the double she was more than happy to set up an extra plate. Seeing his aunt acting so warm and kind was probably one of the worst sights he'd ever witnessed. There was no way his Aunt Kasumi was ever that nice. He blanched at her mother-like tendencies, while he declined her offer to the best of his abilities without outright insulting her.

When Gashu arrived at the dojo, he realized there was no need to sneak inside anymore. There was only _one_ Ryuku home now. Gashu hadn't exactly been completely honest with his double. Ryuku shouldn't have expected him to obediently stay cooped up in the guest room, like some sort of pet. He needed to be able to breathe some fresh air, to be able to roam around in a wide open space and to have fun. There were multiple times when Gashu had snuck out during the night to explore what _this_ Nerima had to offer. With a proper disguise or with a female body, it turned out Ryuku's Nerima was just as interesting as his own.

After toeing off his dress shoes, Gashu began to unbutton his uniform and untucked his pants. In a good mood, the double padded down the hallway, whistling a song Misaki had been listening to on the radio. Once he reached the main room, Gashu hadn't expected to find his (Ryuku's) mother already home. According to Ryuku's list, Akane wasn't supposed to be home for several hours. She was seated at the table, as she was still in her work uniform; the double assumed Akane had recently returned to the dojo. The television set was on but her eyes were now focused on her supposed son. A cup sat on the table, Akane's hand was curled loosely around it.

The first word out of Gashu's mouth was an intelligent: "Uh."

Akane turned off the TV. "You decided not to go then?"

Gashu rattled his brain. _Go where? _And then a moment later, it clicked: _Oh right! Megumi's wedding!_ "No, I wanted to stay home."

"I was hoping for at least one of us to be able to go. But that's fine as long as you don't regret your decision," She brought her cup up to her mouth, it hovered an inch away from her lips. "Were you at Aunt Kasumi's and Uncle Tofu's?"

"Yeah, I was."

The cup clicked lightly onto the table, once Akane set it down. "I thought you would've stayed for dinner."

"No, I needed to get home."

Akane nodded; her face void of any expression. "I see."

Gashu shuffled his feet onto the floor. The abrupt ambiance filling the room was unnerving. Whenever he talked to his mother, their conversations weren't anything like this. There were always infectious smiles, constant laughter, light teasing and unconditional love. It was foreign seeing his (Ryuku's) mother without a smile, without a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Did you eat yet, Ma?" he grimaced, hoping she hadn't noticed his slip-up. _She's not your ma, dummy._

But Akane's surprise wasn't due to his slip-up but rather his question, since she didn't mention anything. "Not yet."

"Well," Gashu cleared his throat. "I don't know about you but… I could really eat something right now."

Akane made a move to get up. "I could whip something up."

"I've got a better idea," When Gashu was home alone, the double decided to venture into the kitchen to taste some of Akane's food. He had done so with good intentions, wanting to prove the redhead wrong. Unfortunately, his goal wasn't as successful as he thought it would be. Gashu decided to steer clear from any of Akane's dishes, during the rest of his stay in Nerima. "Why don't we go out and grab something to eat instead?"

Her eyebrows furrowed at his suggestion, suspicion marring her features. "You want to go out? Do you even think we'll find anything? You're so picky."

Gashu shrugged. "Even if we don't find anything, don't you want to get out of the dojo for a bit?"

"I haven't been home all day, Ryuku," Akane sighed, tracing her fingertip over the tip of her mug. "I'm exhausted. All I want to do is find something to eat and then go to bed."

"Then you shouldn't be cooking if you're exhausted," Gashu told her, using the same tone he'd use whenever he teased his mother. "Come on, _mom_, let's go out! I don't want you passing out and setting the house on fire."

The beginning of a smile threatened to form on Akane's lips. "Alright, Ryuku," she laughed. "You win. Let's go out."

"Glad to hear it. It'll even be my treat. Sound good?" It wasn't like Ryuku was going to notice a few bucks missing from the jar Gashu found hidden in his closet.

"That sounds great."

**X**

_Another growl rumbled from Ryuku's stomach, once again reminding the stubborn boy it was time to eat. The noise sounded bubbly and whiny to Ryuku's ears. Ryuku set his videogame controller on his kneecap, shifting his attention from the TV screen onto his bully. He pressed his hand onto his shirt, as if he was waiting for another bubbly growl. Hearing Megumi loudly whoop caused Ryuku to glance back at the screen. His lips twisted into an annoyed frowned at what he saw: his character had collapsed onto the ground, while Megumi's character stood in a victorious pose. The words "YOU LOSE" rapidly flashed on the screen. _

_Megumi punched the air. "Ha! I win!"_

"_That's not fair!" Ryuku pouted. "You cheated."_

"_Hey, watch who you're calling a cheater!" Megumi tackled Ryuku onto the floor, her fingers ticking his sides. "Maybe if you peeled yourself away from the videogames and grabbed something to eat, you wouldn't lose so much!"_

_Ryuku rolled out of Megumi's reach, escaping Megumi's vicious tickle attack. He sat up to wipe the mirthful tears off his cheeks. "That's not fair!" he repeated, his pout deepening. "You're the one that brought the videogames!"_

"_I'm not the one losing! Now go get something to eat, mister! That's an order!"_

"There we go!"

The Ryuku in the mirror returned her blank stare when she opened her eyes. The overall make-up done was very light and simple. A light pink blush was applied onto the apple of her cheeks. Sparkly eye shadow, matching the color of the dress, coated her eyelids. Pale pink lip gloss was neatly spread on her lips. After a few finishing touches, Arisu twisted the cap on the mascara tube and put it onto the dresser. Next, she picked up a comb and began to brush the plastic teeth through Ryuku's thick black locks. From the way Ryuku was frequently blinking, Arisu could tell the girl wasn't used to wearing make-up.

"Try not to blink too hard or your mascara will smear," Arisu informed her. She picked up the small transparent orange container, holding bobby pins. "I can't believe you're fifteen and you've never worn make-up before. It's fine. You look pretty either way."

Actually, this wasn't the first time Ryuku wore make-up. Megumi wasn't the only one who enjoyed playing dress up. During her dress up sessions with Misaki, there were times when Aunt Kasumi wanted to play along as well, which was when the make-up was brought out. Ryuku shifted in her seat, pressing her lips together to smear the lip gloss and glared at her reflection. There was no reason to mention this piece of information to Arisu.

Arisu pinned Ryuku's bangs to the sides. "Are you nervous?"

"I'm not the one getting married."

"That's true," Arisu agreed with a laugh. "But you know what I mean, Ryoko. You'll do fine, trust me. Our parts aren't as important as we'd like to think. Everyone's only here for the soon-to-be even happier couple." She brushed the comb through the back of Ryuku's short hair, before she pinned at a few other areas of her hair. With a satisfied grin, Arisu placed a light blue headband over Ryuku's head. "Now, all we have to do is wait in here. The wedding won't be start for another fifteen minutes."

In the mirror, Ryuku watched Arisu move to a corner of the room to search through her purse. Ryuku's eyes drifted to the door. At the moment, all the girls were too heavily occupied with themselves. They wouldn't notice if a bridesmaid went missing for a few moments. Slipping out of the room was the easy part. Now, all Ryuku had to do was find where Megumi was located. Ryuku lost count of how many doors she opened, looking inside only to find: several supply closets, a kitchen, or where the men were changing. Ryuku checked the time on a clock hanging above an impressive painting. There was plenty of time left.

Clutching her hand around another doorknob, Ryuku slowly twisted the knob, and slowly moved the door inch by inch. Inside the room, she found Megumi standing in front of the mirror on a low leveled stool, absently admiring herself in her wedding gown. Megumi was already a stunning young woman, but the stunning dress had managed to make her look even more breathtaking. The dress was a strapless A-line wedding dress with intricate designs of chrysanthemums embroidered on the seam of the long flowing skirt.

The bride faced away from the mirror, wearing a smile. "Ryuku, are you going to come inside or what?"

A breath Ryuku wasn't aware she was holding blew past her lips. "Y-Yeah," she stuttered as she stepped inside the room. When she released the doorknob, the door slammed shut behind her. "You look beautiful, Megumi."

Megumi's smile widened. "Get over here, kiddo." Ryuku's legs moved on their own accord, each step bringing her closer and closer to Megumi's beauty. Megumi yanked her on top of the wide step stool. "I know you must be tired of hearing this but I'm so happy you're here."

"You could've had just as much fun without me here."

Megumi shook her head. "It wouldn't have been the same," she told her firmly. "I'm glad Sakebi decided to cancel on me. We weren't that close in the first place. The only reason she agreed to go was because I was short a bridesmaid. Arisu suggested she do it, since we couldn't find anyone else to take the spot," she held onto Ryuku's lower arms. "I'm really glad you're here. If things were different, I don't care if there are rules, you'd still be my bridesmaid. You'd be my _guy_ bridesmaid."

Ryuku snorted. "I don't think that'd make this any better."

"You're a good kid, Ryuku," Megumi moved forward to wrap her arms around her small body. "There wasn't a day I ever regretted being your babysitter."

Ryuku closed her eyes, resting her chin on Megumi's shoulder. She could hear Megumi faintly sniffling, attempting to hold back tears. Ryuku held onto Megumi tightly, not wanting to ever let her go. There were million different scenarios Ryuku had imagined in her end. The conversation was the same but every reaction varied. Ryuku had no idea how she would react. She had no idea how to start. How was she supposed to convince someone to bail out of their own wedding?

Suddenly, Megumi's spoke, cutting Ryuku from her thoughts. "I'm pregnant."

And just like that Ryuku's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. She blinked. Had she heard her correctly? "_W-what?_ You're –" she was unable to finish the rest of her sentence, far too absorbed from the shock of Megumi's words.

Megumi took a step back, breaking their embrace, to rub her hand over her stomach, over the life slowly growing in her body. "I couldn't believe it either," she breathed out. "No one knows yet. Not even Yasuo."

Ryuku opened her mouth to speak. Nothing came out. She snapped her mouth shut, her hold on Megumi loosened. "Then… Then why did you tell me?" Ryuku questioned. "Out of all people, you decided to tell me first?"

"You mean a lot to me."

"I was just some kid you used to babysit," Ryuku muttered. "It wasn't like we were friends or anything like that. Wouldn't it have made sense to tell Arisu? Someone who is actually important in your life? Why wouldn't you tell your fiancé first? _Why tell me?_"

Megumi clung onto Ryuku. "I never saw you as just some kid. You _are_ my friend, Ryuku. We've always been friends. How could you say we weren't! Did you know how weird it was that I hung out with you more than my own friends in high school? Kids teased me about it! Some of my old boyfriends did, too!"

"Megumi, I –" she could say it now. She could plant a seed of doubt in Megumi's mind and change everything. She could say anything_. I've always liked you, Megumi._ She could tell her everything. "I'm so happy for you."

_A bag of chips and a small box of cookies fell to the floor when Ryuku heard a loud noise. Without missing a beat, Ryuku sprinted out of the kitchen and ran down the hallway, making a beeline for the main room. What if something exploded? What if his grandpa showed up and unplugged the TV and made Megumi cry? Or worse, what if a burglar broke into the dojo and hurt Megumi? Ryuku's hands curled into fists at the latter. His pace increased, his feet stomping loudly onto the wooden floors. If someone hurt Megumi they weren't going to get off easy. They should've known better than to mess with Ryuku Saotome's babysitter. Ryuku threw himself inside the room, checking for any sign of forced entry or damage. There wasn't a giant panda sitting anywhere in the room. No burglars either. Nothing exploded._

_Hearing a muffled sob drew Ryuku's attention onto Megumi, who was curled up into a ball in the corner of the room. Ryuku's heart stopped. In a flash, he was by Megumi's side, looking over her body for any injuries. Megumi rocked herself back and forth on her feet, sobbing softly. Ryuku could see her shaking, could hear her quickened heartbeats and battered breaths. _

"_What's wrong Megumi?"_

_There was a soft hiccup. "N-Nothing, kiddo. Don't worry about it. It's just boring grown-up stuff."_

"_You're crying," Ryuku rubbed small circles on Megumi's back, doing his best to sooth her distress. "How can I not worry about you? Did you stub your toe on something? Did," he looked over at the TV screen. "Did you lose?"_

_A choked laugh came from her. "N-No, I never lose."_

"_Then what's wrong? Why are you crying?"_

_Megumi lifted her head up from her knees. Her bangs were matted down on her forehead, her cheeks were flushed, and her nose was running. Ryuku hopped onto her feet and gently wiped her face off with his shirt. "Thanks, kiddo," she sniffled, chuckling weakly. "I hope you don't grow up to be a jerk."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_It's just more grown-up stuff."_

"_Megumi, I'm going to be a middle schooler soon," he told her boastfully. "I'm on my way to being a grown-up! That means you have to tell me."_

_She heaved a defeated sigh. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise me something first," she rested her chin onto her kneecaps, her eyes downcast. "I don't want you to worry about me, because I'll get over it."_

"_I promise."_

"_Do you remember Genji?" _

_Ryuku made a face. "You mean that boy who kept touching you?" He didn't like Genji very much._

"_He," she paused, hiccupping and sniffling. "He was dating a girl behind my back. He just called and said we were over."_

**X**

"What'd I tell you?" Gashu announced boastfully. After opening the restaurant's door, the incoming breeze briefly caressed his face. He held the door open for Akane, waiting for her to step outside first. "You _were _hungry! You were practically stuffing your face in there!"

Unlike Gashu, Akane wasn't pleased with the cool night wind she was greeted with. She cupped her hands around her mouth, trying to warm her palms up with warm air. Without thinking, Gashu plopped his beanie on top of her head. Akane dipped her head back somewhat to blink at her son. A hand flew behind Gashu's head, making sure his pigtail was still pinned in place. He flashed his mother a sheepish grin, while inwardly scolding himself for acting without a thought. He was lucky she hadn't noticed anything. If Akane saw his pigtail even his charm wouldn't be able to explain his way out of that.

Shaking of her head, Akane adjusted Gashu's beanie to cover her ears. She shoved her hands into her coat pockets and resumed walking. "I'm really glad you suggested this," Akane told him cheerfully. "I wasn't sure what to think of it. We haven't eaten out in ages," her cheerfulness faded slightly, as she softly added. "Not together, not as an actual family."

During dinner, Gashu couldn't help but compare Ryuku's mother to his own. There were certain aspects of this Akane that were similar to his own, like the way her eyes sparkled when she genuinely smiled, or the way her laughter brightened up her entire face. But with this Akane, getting an actual _real_ smile involved hard work on his part. It was almost as if the woman had forgotten to curl her lips upwards into a warm smile. Getting a laugh out of her wasn't any easier. To get a giggle from his mother all it took was a stupid face. Gashu doubted Ryuku used those sorts of method to garner a chuckle out of anyone. The doppelganger wasn't even sure if the redhead even had a funny bone.

Gashu's mother had long silky dark blue hair. When it wasn't down, it was usually tied back in a high ponytail held in place by a rubber band. This Akane's hair was the same shade of blue but it wasn't sleek. It was cropped short to her shoulders, Gashu wondered if she had enough hair to do _any_ simple or fancy hairstyle. His mother used to be an awful cook. He remembered all the "horror stories" his father used to tell him, thinking they were suitable as scary bedtime stories. Gashu couldn't believe any of them, because his mother certainly had the ability to whip up any delicious dish. Gashu figured this Akane desperately wanted to learn how to handle her way around the kitchen. She wanted to be the perfect mother, to be able to provide for her family. When his father left, seeing his mother in a deep depressed state was terrifying. Every time she cooked anything, each bite tasted like her tears and unending sadness. On the day Ranma returned, his mother was so happy, she cooked up a storm. It was one of the best feasts Gashu had in years. When Ryuku's father left, he never came back. Akane's depression never fully went away and her passion for cooking disappeared as did everything else. Gashu believed if things had been different Ryuku, and everyone else in Nerima, would think differently of Akane's cooking.

Gashu's mother was an amazing martial artist. Sometimes, Gashu would catch this Akane stare wistfully at the dojo, before she left for one of her many part-time jobs. Every day the poor woman worked herself to exhaustion, doing her best to provide for what was left of her family. If she kept this up, Gashu hoped she wouldn't work herself into a coma. The double stepped closer to Ryuku's mother, curling his arm around her waist. At this moment, he didn't care if he was supposed to be acting like Ryuku anymore. The woman needed someone to be able to comfort her. She needed be able to lean on someone for support. She needed her son.

Akane glanced at Gashu's hand resting at her hip. "Ryuku?"

"Yes mom?"

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I was planning on hugging you," was his casual reply. "But you kind of ruined it."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You were going to hug me? Why?"

Sighing, Gashu enveloped her with a warm embrace. "What kind of question is that? Why wouldn't I want to hug you? You're my mom."

"Oh," Akane wound her arms around him, keeping a tight hold. "The last time you hugged me was when you were six."

"You looked like you needed a hug."

"I did, I _do_," Akane sniffled. She moved to hold onto the back of his neck, approaching terribly close to his braid, to make Gashu look her in the eyes. "I didn't mean for things to be like this, Ryuku. You know that, right?"

Gashu wasn't going to risk a simple nod. Akane was too close to finding his pigtail. He cupped both of Akane's hands in his to say. "I always knew that."

**X**

There wasn't a single sound in the room. Everyone rose from their seats, facing where the beautiful bride would be entering with her father by her side. As the "Wedding March" began to play, the groom's posture straightened even more. The bride's father led his daughter down the wide aisle with her hand tucked under his arm. Megumi's mother dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a silk handkerchief, looking like a very proud mother. Once again, Ryuku lost her ability to breathe, despite having seen Megumi in her gown an hour prior. Ryuku clutched at her dress, ignoring the way her gut painfully twisted, ignoring the leery stares from Yasuo's cousin, ignoring_ everything _and _everyone_ but Megumi. Though Megumi's face was covered by her veil, Ryuku could see how anxious she was. She could see the shape of her lips curled into a nervous smile.

Something compelled Ryuku to look towards the groom; perhaps it was to see how a man would look at this moment: waiting for his bride to join him at the altar. Or maybe it was to prove a point, that Yasuo would never be good enough for Megumi. But the expression on Yasuo's face caught Ryuku off guard. Yasuo was completely enamored by Megumi, his eyes were solely focused on her – his life was _her_. Ryuku's gut twisted even harder. What was she thinking, trying to split apart a loving couple? She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing her attention back onto Megumi.

_She was going to win._

_He picked up his pace, refusing to accept defeat. There was no way Ryuku Saotome was going to lose to a girl, even if she was his babysitter. Even with his shorter legs, Ryuku easily caught up to her. Megumi glanced over her shoulder only to turn back forward and quicken her long strides. She tried blocking Ryuku's way every time he stepped left or right, but the boy was quick to circle around her. After sending a departing wave, Ryuku ran and ran. He didn't stop until he was at the park, his sights targeted on the swings. They agreed that the loser had to push the winner on the swings. He was more than halfway there. It was clear who the winner was going to be this time._

_Ryuku stopped. A pair had already beaten them to their finishing spot. He turned to see how far Megumi was. But she had already caught up to him. It was already too late. She had seen them._

_Sitting at the swings, a girl was pressing her lips against Genji's._

Slowly, the groom took Megumi's veil in his hands and tucked it behind her head. He cupped her cheek and leaned close to whisper something only the couple could hear. Megumi placed her hand on his, her eyes closed and her lips set into a permanent smile.

The priest began to speak.

_Her knees uncontrollably wobbled, before she was unable to hold her weight and she collapsed onto the grass. "G-Genji," she gasped. Her eyes remained fixated on the couple, while tears formed at the corner of her eyes. A pained whimper left her lips. The sound was muffled when she pressed her palms onto her face and sobbed. "Genji!"_

A little boy presented a silk pillow above his head, which had two wedding bangs for the nearly wedded couple. The pair exchanged anxious looks, wearing matching sheepish grins and stained red cheeks. As he cradled Megumi's hand, Yasuo picked up a ring to and slowly slipped it onto Megumi's ring finger.

"_Oh, I remember you_,"_ was what Genji said when he broke apart from the girl next to him. He raised his eyebrow at Ryuku, taking in the boy's aggressive glare. "You're one of Megumi's brats, right? Ryuzo or whatever," his swollen lips turned into a smirk. "If she's not too busy," Genji's eyes deliberately trailed over to Megumi. "Could you tell her I want my stuff back?" _

The audience smothered their laughter when Megumi nearly dropped the ring onto the floor. Yasuo massaged her shoulders, hoping the gesture would help her anxiety. Flashing an apologetic smile to everyone, Megumi held onto Yasuo's hand, as she slowly placed the band over Yasuo's ring finger.

_There was a sickening crunch when Ryuku's fist collided with Genji's nose. Next to them, the girl began to scream in a mixture of panic and terror. The blow had enough impact that it knocked Genji off of his swing. The older boy dropped onto the sand, letting out pained yowls, while he clutched at his bleeding face. The girl intercepted Ryuku's path, keeping him away from her supposed boyfriend. Ryuku sent her a chilling glare, but it wasn't enough to make her back off. Growling, he simply shoved past her and grabbed onto Genji's uniform jacket, forcing the older boy into a seated position and then pulled his fist back._

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

_Ryuku wasn't sure who the blood on his fists belonged to anymore. He could feel someone grabbing onto him, trying to pull him away. There were screams surrounding him, smothering him. He wished everyone would shut up. _

"_Please, I'm begging you! Stop! You're going to kill him!" _

"You may now kiss the bride."

_He didn't know there was so much blood in the human body. The body underneath him didn't even look like a human being anymore. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Ryuku frantically scrambled away from him. He wiped his blooded hands onto his shirt. But it was no use; his shirt was covered in it. His face was drenched in it. It was in his hair, in his eyes, in his mouth, under his nails. His whole body was slathered in dark sticky crimson. _

"_Megumi," Ryuku's hands reached for his babysitter. He needed someone. He needed to hear comforting words. That everything was going to be alright. But the look in her eyes stopped him. "M-Megumi," he tried again. "I'm… I… help me… please…" She flinched when his fingers brushed her arm, smearing red onto her pale skin. _

_Tears blurred Ryuku's vision. _

_She was scared of him. _

_He collapsed onto the ground, his entire body shuddering with sobs. "I'm not… I wouldn't… hurt you."_

_In the near distance, sirens wailed in the background. There was an ambulance and a stretcher taking away Genji. Ryuku wasn't aware of when his mother showed up. She was harshly scrubbing at his skin with a rough towel. Ryuku blinked through his tears, his throat raw from his screams. _

"_Mommy," Ryuku whimpered, trying to look anything that wasn't spotted with red. "Am I… a monster?"_

Cheering and applause startled Ryuku away from her daydream. She wiped the moisture away from her eyes, noting the cheering had happened once the couple signified the next step of their life with a passionate kiss. Ryuku could feel Arisu's hand on her shoulder, could feel her concern.

"They look," Ryuku paused, locking eyes with Megumi across the room. Her eyes went downcast. "Like a happy couple."

"_I-I'm sorry, Megumi."_

**X**

Softly singing a tune under his breath, Gashu strode along the fence, his hands jammed in his pockets and his head held high to stare at the scenery provided. The double had already picked up Misaki and spent several hours at her house. He was amazed at how well they got along, especially considering his great dislike for children. Now, the double was gradually making his way back to the dojo. He had made sure to leave Misaki's house earlier than yesterday. As much as he enjoyed hanging out with Misaki, he still wasn't absolutely crazy about kids. He doubted even a sweet girl like Misaki would be able to change his opinion in such a short amount of time.

The sun was setting, the sky turning into a mellow orange hue. No matter where he was, another world or not, the sunset was always a beautiful sight to witness. With his eyes entranced by Mother Nature's natural beauty, Gashu leapt off the fence only to collide with an unsuspecting bystander below. The unanticipated crash left Gashu on meeting the hard ground. Grunting, Gashu pushed himself off the concrete and saw that his tumble decorated the streets with the contents from several grocery bags.

"Crap! I'm really sorry about that," Gashu fumbled, shifting on to his knees to pick everything up. "I should've paid attention to where I was going. Shit. I even broke your jars," cradling the remnants of the groceries in one arm, Gashu took out his wallet (which was filled with Ryuku's money). "Here, I'll pay for whatever else I broke, too."

When his eyes met the person's he had bumped into, Gashu realized he had knocked a girl over. She appeared to be about his age, which meant there was a high chance that she attended Furinkan High School with him. Of course, she went to Furinkan. Where else would she go? Based off of her startled expression, Gashu assumed the girl was well acquainted with the rumors revolving around his double. The girl was yet another person afraid of Ryuku.

The double cleared his throat. "Um, yeah, so here you go." He thrust the grocery bags in her arms and then took out a few crinkled bills to drop inside a torn paper bag. "I'm really sorry about that."

And with that, Gashu proceeded to leave the scene but was stopped when something caught onto his uniform. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the girl had taken hold of the hem of his jacket. She was avoiding eye contact, instead blankly staring at something off to the side.

"Um," the girl uneasily stuttered behind him. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, I had to," the last thing he expected was to be _thanked_. Gashu had expected the girl to have run off by now. He couldn't help but smile at her gratitude. The girl was probably the only friendly face he'd gotten from anyone at the high school. It was a nice change. "You're welcome."

His response elicited a negative reaction from her, as the girl gawked at him in what Gashu assumed was terror.

Gashu's smile drooped. _Just because she thanked you doesn't mean she's not afraid of you._ "Take care now." He hopped back onto the fence, starting off into a light dash. He spared a glance over his shoulder, seeing the girl hadn't moved from her spot. _You'll probably never see her again._


	26. Ch 20: Sounds of Broken Hearts

**Chapter 20:** The Unwelcoming Sounds of Broken Hearts

It was a beautiful Sunday night.

The crescent moon was complimented by the bright stars, which twinkled in the calming night sky, like a pure black canvas spattered with white paint. He felt the refreshing cool air enveloping his entire body, as he leaned against the thin wooden column, while he silently studied his surroundings. His arms were crossed over his chest, the double gripped at his biceps. The view was beautiful but it did very little to sooth his growing anxiety.

"Man," Gashu huffed irritably, tearing his gaze from the sky to glare at the unkempt grass. "What's taking him so long?"

Only growing frustrated, the double pushed off the column and stepped inside the main room. He left the sliding door open, allowing the breeze to continue to flow throughout the room. Gashu reached inside his jacket pocket for something he'd dropped inside earlier. Using his thumb and index finger, he rolled a small red rubber ball over his fingertips. In the last few days, Gashu had ransacked certain parts of Ryuku's room. Originally Gashu's self-proclaimed ingenious plan was to surprise his twin by showing him what a cleaned room looked like. However, it wasn't long before Gashu's original intent gradually changed until finally he simply gave up – there wasn't enough time in the world for one person to compete such a feat, Ryuku's room was beyond a mess. His new plan was a better plan anyway: to see what sort of interesting or embarrassing things he could find about the redhead. Unfortunately, there wasn't much that caught his interest, which didn't surprise Gashu (Ryuku had never been very interesting in the first place).

One day, while Gashu was rummaging inside Ryuku's closet, he came across a small wooden box shoved in a cramped corner. The box looked homemade. It might've been crafted at school, considering Ryuku's name was sloppily carved onto the smooth lid. Curious on the possible contents inside, Gashu removed the top and found various items shoved in limited space. There were shreds of paper, several old crinkled photographs, small knickknacks of cats, a golden bell possibly from a cat collar, and finally a tiny red ball. The paper shreds weren't worth examining, as he tossed the shreds in the air like confetti. The photographs were all of a young Ryuku with his family. There seemed to be a common trait among the photos: all of his father's faces were either cut or ripped out. The bell and cat knickknacks weren't difficult to figure out. His twin had a thing for felines, which the double would never understand (nor did he ever want to). On the other hand, the rubber ball was what puzzled Gashu the most, which was why Gashu felt compelled to take it. Maybe Ryuku would notice something missing in his handcrafted box. Then again, who knew if the redhead even remembered about the tiny wooden box shoved in the back of his closet?

Gashu chucked the ball across the room. It recoiled off the wall with a dull thud and flew back towards him. He snatched it out of the air, clutching the ball in a tight fist. The double repeated these actions for the next five minutes, before realizing this would only keep him entertained for so long. A whiny growl alerted him, once again, of his empty stomach. He hadn't eaten dinner yet. Normally, he would wait for Akane to return home. But Ryuku's mother wouldn't be home for at least another hour, since she had accepted extra shifts for the following week. Today was _supposed _to be the day Ryuku returned home, if the redhead ever decided to pop up. Gashu had wanted to share a nice dinner with his twin, as a way to properly welcome him, before he'd let Ryuku reclaim his life. The double's next throw was targeted harshly at the floor, causing the ball to sail upwards to the ceiling. The ball nearly collided with the wings of the fan, but instead connected with a burnt-out light bulb. Shards of glass rained onto Gashu, who dodged the pieces to catch the ball.

"Did you break anything else while I was gone?"

Gashu dropped the ball back inside his pocket. He'd wrecked his own house plenty of times. His ears still rang from the one too many screaming lectures from his mother. "I didn't hear you come in."

"You were too busy wrecking the place to notice."

Normally, he would've commented on Ryuku's remark but now wasn't the time for that – especially when Ryuku was _four_ hours late. "Where the heck have you been?" Gashu demanded, acting like a parent interrogating a disobeying child. He whipped around to face his double, a displeased scowl set firmly on his lips. "Do you know what time it is?"

He was given a dry response. "Is it past my bedtime?"

"Very funny," Gashu grunted out. "Seriously, what took you so long? You told me you got back hours ago!"

Ryuku's eyes lowered to the floor. At least she had the decency to look guilty. "I," her lips formed a light frown. "I was just walking around," she shrugged, before adding. "I guess I lost track of time."

"_Lost track of time?_ Hell yeah, you lost track of time! You could've said something, Red!" Gashu exclaimed. "All you had to do was send me a quick text."

"I'm home now, aren't I?" Ryuku snapped; her guilt now replaced with annoyance. "Why are you complaining? I bet you do this stuff all the time. It's not like you tell everyone every little thing. You're keeping plenty of things from me."

Gashu threw his hands up in front of him, frustrated but relieved that Ryuku was finally home. "I can't believe I actually missed your whiney ass," he went up to his twin, extending his arms out. "Welcome back!" he could feel Ryuku tense against him. "Should I bother asking if you got me anything?"

"Get off me," Ryuku stepped back to escape Gashu's hug and shoved past him. She headed for the staircase, dragging her luggage behind her. "It was nice in Itabashi. It was quiet there. I forgot how loud and annoying you were."

"That's alright, Red, I already _know_ you missed me. You don't have to say it," Gashu followed after her, throwing a rapid fire of questions her way. "How was the wedding? Did Megumi look like a knockout in her dress? Jeez, why I am even asking. Of course, she did! She probably made all those exes of hers eat their hearts out! I bet what's-his-face had to beat all those guys away from her with a bat! Could you imagine that?"

The double continued to ramble on and on, blissfully unaware of how his words affected his fast walking companion. As they neared closer to Ryuku's bedroom, it wasn't until a slam resounded in the air that he realized Ryuku had slammed her door in his face. He could hear the lock snap in place and things being thrown on the ground. Gashu blinked, unsure of what had just happened. _Was it something I said?_ He began to knock on the door.

"Are you really going to leave me in the dark? Even after I've been pretending to be you for these last few days?" when it appeared that he wasn't going to receive an answer anytime soon, Gashu's shoulders dropped. "Then I take it I'm going to keep being you for awhile longer?"

He accepted Ryuku's silence, as a "yes".

**X**

Since Gashu had no idea how Ryuku spent his lunch time, Gashu had been spending the majority of his lunches strolling through Furinkan's hallways. Today wasn't any other different. The double paraded down the corridors with his arms folded behind his head. Gashu's lunch time were spent in an entirely different way. At the sound of the break bell, girls would immediately gather around him, offering him various gifts and food. The grabby ones would cling onto him, desperately begging for a chance to spend their entire lunch with just the two of them. Back home, the girls couldn't get enough of Gashu Saotome. But everything was flipped upside down in Ryuku's world. Now the girls at school wouldn't' dare to spare a glance in his general direction, fearing something horrible would happen if they dared to share eye contact. None of the girls – _no one _wanted a piece of Ryuku Saotome.

One of the major differences Gashu noticed from his double was his social skills or lack thereof. On the day of Gashu's arrival, as they were making their way to the pawn shop, Ryuku hadn't done much to keep a conversation going. It was almost as if he reveled in the silence. Gashu, on the other hand, was a very social person. He hated walking around in silence or having awkward conversations. _He_ reveled in talking to another living breathing person, to be able to laugh and share smiles with someone familiar, comfortable. Not a cat but a _person_.

A dejected sigh past Gashu's lips, no one wanted to talk to him at Furinkan High School. It was such an odd thing to experience. Generally, people flocked towards him, even if all they did was exchange a simple greeting. The only sort of personal contact he really had with anyone was with Ryuku, which honestly wasn't very comforting at all. Gashu closed his eyes, picturing all the friendly faces he'd probably only witness back home. He couldn't understand how Ryuku could enjoy this – the isolation, the loneliness – it was such a horrible, disheartening feeling. A feeling that Gashu loathed experiencing, he needed to do _something_, to be able to talk to _someone_.

Hearing the faint sounds of footsteps, Gashu opened his eyes but it was already too late. He abruptly crashed into another body, which had been coming as they turned the corner. The first thing he saw were he stack of manila folders descending to the floor. Countless sheets of paper hovered in the air, while the rest slid across the tile. Gashu grabbed the papers slowly floating down, staring blankly at the bright red score circled. These folds were holding onto tests, _graded_ tests. As it was instinct, the double would've taken several tests and hid them under his shirt, as he had done so many times in the past. But it would've been pointless to do such a thing now.

Gashu gathered the tests together, shuffling them back into random folders. The current situation was all too familiar. Gashu had created the habit of deliberately bumping into timid teacher assistants, only to swipe several answer sheets from right under their noses. As he fumbled with a messy stack of folders, Gashu clumsily handed the papers back to the unfortunate victim of his crash. Gashu's eyes widened when his eyes stared into the same pair of brown eyes he had seen a few days prior. It was the same unfortunate girl he had crashed into before.

Unfortunately, another instinct Gashu couldn't quite help was flirting with said teacher assistants (it proved to be an easier method to swipe papers, while they were flustered). "Wow, I never thought I'd see you again," the words left Gashu's lips before he could stop himself. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

The girl blanched.

Gashu grimaced at his careless mistake. He couldn't imagine Ryuku flirting, much less _attempt_ to flirt with another human being. "What I meant to say was," he cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to crash into you… again."

She simply accepted the folders from Gashu, meanwhile avoiding eye contact. It seemed like she hadn't quite gotten over his greeting. "It's alright. I'm sure you didn't mean to."

An uneasy chuckle came from the double. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what he should do next. Normally, after handing back the papers to the teacher's assistants then it was time to flee. _What the heck would Ryuku do? Does he even talk to girls?_ "Hey, um," he stared up at the ceiling, balancing on the balls of his feet. "How about I walk you to wherever you're going?" _I don't think Red would just dump her off. Not even he's _that_ much of a douche. _"To show you how sorry I am."

"You don't need to do that."

Gashu's shoulders slumped. "But I feel really bad," he dropped his gaze down onto the girl in front of him. "I mean, I already crashed into you before. I don't want to make this into some sort of bad habit."

The girl's teeth nipped at her bottom lip. She was going to say no. There was no way this girl was going to – "Okay."

His eyebrows flew up in surprise. A light, relieved smile played across his lips. "Then lead the way."

After a curt nod, the girl broke into a brisk stroll, gently brushing past Gashu to walk ahead of him. Seeing the perfect opportunity in front of him, the double couldn't help but rake his eyes over the girl's slender figure. He allowed his gaze to briefly linger below the back of her hips. The girl certainly wasn't bad on the eyes, but there wasn't anything in particular that was worthy of grabbing his attention. On a ten rated scale, he'd easily give her a seven. Everything about the girl was average. Sure, she had a cute smile and a lovely presence but Gashu had always enjoyed the type that was a _little_ above the average rating. If he had to give an estimated time of glancing, he guessed he'd check her out for at least ten seconds. However, there was a nagging feeling about the girl, that she _should _be familiar, almost as if he had already met or seen her before in a different place or time.

"This is it," the girl suddenly announced, bringing the double out of his thoughts.

Their walk had brought them to an empty classroom. Gashu remained at the doorway, watching the girl quickly make her way over to the teacher's desk. She placed the stack of folders onto the center of the desk. Next, her hands were dropped to her sides, curling into loose shaking fists. Slowly, her head turned to the side; she seemed to be gathering her bearings, before she finally glanced at the double. Gashu stiffened under her gaze. Her faltering stare was familiar.

"I have something for you."

"Okay?"

He was unaware he was holding onto his breath, until she moved to the teacher's chair. Gashu shook his head, pressing his palm onto his bangs, while the side of his body sagged onto the doorframe. _Crap. What the hell is wrong with me? _He could hear her footsteps. She was walking to him. His back straightened as he stepped forward to meet the girl halfway. In her hands, she clutched onto a small pink coin purse. He extended his palm out to her, while he put on a perturbed smile. The girl was biting at her bottom lip again; he speculated it was a nervous habit. His fingers closed around what she placed on his hand.

When she quickly retreated to the desk, he checked to see what she had given him. It was the money he had given her. He looked to where she stood, facing away from him. "Why are you giving this back to me?" he asked, puzzled by her actions. "This was for you. Did you forget that I pretty much trashed your groceries?"

She shook her head, her long brown hair slightly swayed along with her as she did so. "You didn't have to do that."

"But I –"

"Ryuku," the girl interjected, sounding very small, almost distant. "I don't know what you're trying to do but," again, her hands were at her sides, this time one of her fists tightly held onto her coin purse. "I thought we… we already said everything we had to say to each other."

Gashu gawked at her, his confusion increasing by the second. _What is this chick talking about? Is she Red's ex-girlfriend or something?_

"Please. I can't take this from you. Take it back."

He took several steps forward, reaching his hand out to touch her shoulder. "You –"

The double's sentence was interjected again, but this time by another voice entering their conversation. "Hey, Ayano, are you almost done?" immediately, Gashu turned to face the unexpected visitor. A guy had taken his earlier spot at the door. The grin on the guy's lips died when his eyes met Gashu's. "Saotome, I-I didn't know you were in here. I'll just, uh, leave."

"You don't have to go, Togo," the girl, apparently named Ayano, assured the added third party. "Saotome," Gashu's eyes widened. That tone of voice. Where had he heard someone regard him in that same manner before? "Was just about to leave, right?"

Gashu stared at Ayano for several seconds, before he slowly nodded. "Totally," he replied, "I'll be going now." The guy, Togo, scrambled out of his way as he made his leave. His mind was stuck, constantly replaying Ayano's last words. _Why is she so familiar? Should I…_ know_ her?_

**X**

"Are you okay in there? You've been locked up in there ever since you got back."

All he was given was complete and utter silence, as he stood in front of Ryuku's bedroom door.

He waited for a few seconds to pass, before he tried again. "I brought you something to eat. I'd slip the plate under your door but," he looked at the plate of steamed pork buns. "I don't think that'd work out very well for either of us," Sighing at the lack of response, Gashu raised his hand, shifting the plate on his forearm, and knocked on the door. "Come on! Would you quit ignoring me? Have you even left your room, since you slammed the door in my face? Red, are you going to answer me? I'm… worried about you and stuff."

Gashu counted the minutes that past – five minutes – before he decided it was simpler to leave the redhead alone. If it wasn't clear by now, Ryuku wasn't planning on leaving his bedroom in the near present. The redhead was going to keep himself holed up in his four walled sanctuary, until he personally declared it was time return to civilization once more. Muttering a goodbye, Gashu turned to leave but was stopped when he heard the door creak open. The double spun forward, holding the plate in front of the other as a peace offering. Gashu dipped his head back, noting the redhead's heavily disheveled hair, wrinkled black tank top and red pajama bottoms. Maybe the reason he hadn't answered was because he was sleeping? Ryuku's lips pressed into a thin line, he didn't even regard the food, before he simply left and headed for his bed. Ryuku took a seat on the edge of his mattress, slouching forward with his hands clasped in front of the lower half of his face.

Gashu invited himself inside, keeping a close distance to the exit. "So," he started, effectively disrupting the awkward atmosphere. "Are you wearing diapers or something?"

Ryuku glared at him in disgust.

He held his hands up in a defensive manner. "Well, how else are you going to the bathroom if you're locked up in here?" A moment later, he winced. Ryuku finally let him inside and _that_ was the first question he asked him? "Sorry. That was a really dumb question. Are you hungry?"

Once again, Gashu was given the silent treatment.

"Um, okay, I guess not. I'll just leave these here. You can eat when you can't ignore your stomach anymore," he placed the place onto the nearest surface next to him: Ryuku's desk. Spread haphazardly across the surface was several types of items that related to their first crush. Gashu picked up the bridesmaid dress hanging between the desk and Ryuku's chair. He nudged the plastic bag on the dress, to sneak a peek at what his double had worn at the wedding. "Do you want to know how things have been while you were gone?" after a brief pause, he laid the dress over Ryuku's seat, and answered for him. "You do? Okay! Please, try to contain your excitement."

Gashu leaned onto the wall next to the desk, thoughtfully stroking an imaginary beard. "Where do I even start? A bunch of stuff happened the past few days," he mused aloud. "Does Misaki sound like a good place to start? I think it is. She's a really good kid. I'm surprised someone as sweet as her came out of such an evil monster," he snapped his mouth, only to let out a sheepish chuckle. "Well, then again, her ma's kind of, I mean she's still," the double cleared his throat. "What else happened?"

He snapped his fingers. "Oh! I got it!" he grinned smugly. "You totally nailed your English quiz! I cheated off of this chick in front of me. No need to thank me, Red."

Only silence came from the other side of the room.

"Jeez, what else is there? I was pretty sure I had a lot to say," Gashu cupped his chin, lips forming a frown. Suddenly, a picture of a girl invaded his thoughts. Her lips formed a phrase. '_We already said everything we had to say to each other.' _His cheerful mood began to diminish. "Say Red, can I ask you something?" he didn't bother to wait for an actual answer. "Are you sure you've never had a girlfriend before? I bumped into this chick, uh; actually I bumped into her twice. But that's a different story altogether. I'll you what happened that time if you want."

Gashu scratched at his scalp while he continued. "Anyway, she might've mentioned something about you and her talking about… some things. Normally I'm not one to jump to conclusions, but that's the sort of stuff you'd hear from an ex-girlfriend," he shrugged. "That's the kind of talks I got from my old girlfriends. I think the chick's name was Ayano."

He could see Ryuku's shoulders tense when he mentioned the girl's name. It was about time he reacted to something he said. Gashu almost expected, for a split second; that Ryuku would've responded, would've done _something_ at this point. But nothing happened and it didn't look like that was going to change. The double wasn't sure if the conversation was worth saving, much less continuing. What was the point of talking to someone if they weren't even going to respond? It was like talking to a dummy, or in Ryuku's case, a _cat_. Gashu stood in the doorway, his hand wrapped around the doorknob, prepared to leave when another picture popped in his head. This time the picture was of a smiling Akane.

_How could I forget to mention ma? _"I talked to your ma the other day, ended up taking her out to dinner," Gashu grinned at the memory. "In fact, these last few days I managed to talk her into jogging in the mornings again," a wistful sigh came. "I used to jog all the time with ma back home. Man, we'd have the craziest contests to see who could outrun –"

A startled grunt escaped the double when his body was suddenly rammed against the wall. Gashu blinked, shaking his head to move his hair from his eyes. Ryuku stood in front of him, with his heads lowered and his grip on his arms firm. The cause of the slam was a simple one. Something triggered the redhead to react violently, sprinting from his seat to tackle Gashu onto the wall outside of his room. He checked Ryuku's hands closed tightly around his upper arms. His hold would certainly keep someone in place, but when he was fueled with anger it wouldn't take much for him to lose that hold. Gashu could easily slip free. In fact, there were a multiple of ways Gashu could use to escape but he stayed where Ryuku had pinned him.

"You've got some nerve."

Gashu stared at Ryuku, his eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

"What the hell was I thinking?" Ryuku hissed. "No matter how many times I tell you not to be a dumbass, you completely ignore me! We're too different for you to even pretend to be me!"

"Red –"

"Would you quit calling me that stupid nickname?" he snarled through clenched teeth. "Do you know how annoying it is to constantly hear 'Red this' and 'Red that'? When did I ever say I wanted a nickname? Just because everyone else calls you a shitty one doesn't mean I want one! I _never_ wanted one!"

"Okay, fine," Gashu said, unfazed by Ryuku's angry outburst. "I'll stop calling you Red then. Happy?"

"That's not even what pisses me off the most about you," Ryuku growled, baring his teeth in a cruel sneer. "You had _no_ right doing that!"

Gashu was still growing confused by the current situation with each passing second. What did he do to make Ryuku mad at him this time? "Doing what? Ask if you had an ex-girlfriend? Look, I don't care if you've never had a girlfriend before. I know plenty of guys like that. I don't judge."

"My mom," Ryuku grounded out slowly. "You shouldn't have done anything with her. The only thing I mentioned about her on that list was her work schedule. I didn't tell you to take her out on a 'date'."

The double's eyes broadened in shock. "Are you fucking kidding me?" His shock was short-lived when his features contorted into a mixture of disgust and fury. In a matter of seconds, he slapped Ryuku's arms off of him breaking free of his hold, took hold of his shoulders, and then bashed their foreheads together. A pained yelp came from the other, who clutched at his forehead. Gashu bent down, knocking Ryuku off his feet with a low sweeping kick. Before Ryuku landed onto the floor, Gashu snatched the front of his tank top and threw him against the wall. He pinned his twin onto the wall, mirroring their earlier position. "Out of anything that could've gotten your panties in a punch, you're pissed off about that?"

Ryuku grabbed at him, attempting to break free. "I'm not kidding! Now let go of me!"

"I can't believe you! She's your mother, you asshole!" Gashu hollered, shaking Ryuku roughly. "Have you seen her lately? You're not the only one around here who's suffering! 'Oh boohoo! My first crush doesn't return my feelings. Now she's happily married to the guy of her dreams. How dare she be happy! I better whine and sulk in my bedroom like a loser and not get over myself.' Did I pretty much nail it on the head?"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Or is this not about Megumi? Is it something else?" Gashu's eyes darted back to Ryuku's bedroom, recalling the items scattered over his desk, the box filled with everything that belonged or was touched by their beloved babysitter. "When Pops left, he didn't only leave you behind. He left a wife, too. He left your ma all by herself."

Gashu wasn't sure how he did it; but somehow, Ryuku managed to slip from Gashu's pin and chose to tackle the double onto the floor. The two began to wrestle with a fury of punches, grabs and kicks. Gashu wasn't even breaking a sweat. Both of them could see that. He was used to random tussles, having grown up with his father and grandpa, who always seemed to be the one who started random wrestling fights. Ryuku was desperate to gain the upper hand, but all of his attempts proved to be useless when Gashu had him pinned beneath him. To prevent any attacks to his face, Gashu kept Ryuku's wrists above his head, but that didn't stop the redhead's thrashing or the snarling frustrated curses.

"I figured the least thing you could do, as her son, was make your ma's life a little less miserable," Gashu didn't even bat an eye when Ryuku leaned forward to spit. A warm glob of saliva landed on his nose and dribbled down his face. The double simply wiped his face off on Ryuku's top. "I'm guessing the only thing you've been doing is _add_ to the problem. All you've done so far is: think about yourself and your problems."

Furious, Ryuku kneed the double in the gut. "Stop pretending that you understand everything!" he cried. "You don't! How could you even begin to understand? Everything was pretty much handed to you on a damn silver platter!"

The blow to his stomach felt like a slight pinch, but he wasn't going to announce that to the redhead. "I'm sorry, was I supposed to feel sorry for you?" he asked. "Maybe I would if you stopped for a second and realized that you aren't the only one with problems here. I get that you've had it tough, a lot of people do. But that doesn't mean shit when all you're doing is feeling sorry for yourself. Why don't you wake up and _do_ something instead of moping around?"

It looked like Ryuku was back to giving him the silent treatment.

"You're not going to say anything?" Gashu asked with a raised eyebrow. "That's perfectly fine with me. You probably didn't have anything worth listening to anyway." As he began to move off of his twin, he was stopped when Ryuku grasped onto his wrist. He shot a glare at redhead, who refused to meet his eyes. "If you're going to say something, it _better_ be good."

"… Tomorrow."

"What about tomorrow?"

Ryuku forced himself into an upright position. "You have work tomorrow."

"I," Gashu blinked. "_What?_ What are you talking about?"

"You're a waitress at the Cat Café," Ryuku informed the double. "I left the uniform for you in your room. Bring it with you tomorrow and change afterschool. It's faster that way. Then head right over to the restaurant. Your boss takes more than half of your tips if you're late."

"Whoa, wait a second here. Do you really expect me to just," Gashu paused, now wearing a scowl. "And you said I had some nerve."

"You've been stealing from me," the redhead pointed out in a soft murmur. "I keep track of how much money I have in that jar. Don't think I haven't noticed something like that."

Gashu rolled his eyes, shaking Ryuku's hand off of him. "I'll pay you back then."

Ryuku stood onto his feet. "You'll pay me back by going to work."

"How long are you going to be locked up in your room?" Gashu snapped. "Why don't you just grow up already?"

Ryuku's hands clenched into trembling fists, "Just do it! You've got nothing better to do!" he stormed inside is room, slamming his door shut behind him.

"Stay in your goddamned room then! That's fine with me! I can't stand the sight of your stupid face anyway!" Gashu stomped down the hallway, heading for the staircase. He could hear Ryuku's door open behind him. When he glanced over his shoulder, he flinched when he heard the plate collide and break with the wall. The pork buns landed with the broken shards on the floor right when Ryuku swung his door closed. "I'm not cleaning that up, you slob!"

**X**

The few times Gashu had been on the rooftop was when girls were about to confess to him. He hadn't really bothered to look at his surroundings during those times, since his main focus tended to be on the flushed girl standing before him. Now that Gashu was spending more and more time on the roof, he found that he oddly enjoyed the solitude (although there were times when his silence was interrupted, mostly by oblivious couples. But it wasn't long before his silence was returned to him once they noticed his presence). It was true that he was a very social person. He enjoyed being able to talk to people and making all sorts of new friends every day. Being a part of a crowd was entertaining, especially when Gashu was the center of attention. But it was different in Ryuku's Nerima. Being the center of attention in a whole new yet same Nerima wasn't as thrilling as back home. All the scrutinizing attention was agonizingly painful, the pain doubled – maybe even tripled – when all that focus was solely on one person. It was difficult to be social when no one else wanted to willingly talk to you.

At the moment, Gashu was lying down on the middle of the roof. His arms were folded behind his head, serving as a comfortable headrest. He stared up at the bright blue sky above him. Occasionally, he'd point out the shapes out of the clouds he could see. Or the double would simply relish in the gentle breeze blowing by. Up on the rooftop it was certainly different compared to wondering through the halls. The silence wasn't as tense or unwelcoming. There weren't unwanted stares or whispers behind his back. There was no one else but Gashu and his thoughts. Maybe Ryuku had a good reason for liking things to be quiet every now and then. Perhaps one of the reasons why Ryuku's social skills were lacking or his little interest in small talk was caused by less than friendly peers.

Gashu's lips curled into a displeased frown. Thinking about the redhead made his blood boil. Sometimes, Ryuku really pissed him off. It wasn't only Ryuku who was annoyed by Gashu; as he seemed too often return the favor as well. _There's no way I'm going to let the jerk off easy this time. _

Out of nowhere, something landed on top of Gashu's face. The double was quick to pick up and inspect what had fallen on him. His hand was wrapped around a warm sandwich tightly secured in saran wrap. Puzzled, Gashu blinked up when a shadow was peering over him. Judging by the uniform, the intruder was a male which was an interesting change of view, but not nearly as appeasing as when a female hovered above him. It was even more appeasing when said female was wearing a skirt.

When Gashu's eyes met with a familiar pair of dark brown eyes, a name flew from his lips. "R-Ryota?"

It _had_ to be Ryota. He recognized that fanged grin anywhere. But Ryota hardly ever wore his uniform. When he did manage to, his uniform was always wrinkled and in disarray. Ryota's red bandana was tied around his forehead like his father. There was no way his backpack would look like that: all neat and without any torn holes. Ryota never took care of his belongings, which was why Gashu hardly shared things with him nowadays. The last time Gashu checked, he would certainly know all the specifics about why Ryota's arm was now in a sling. There was no way he'd be the last person to know how his best friend got a serious injury that left him incapacitated. But the guy in front of him _had_ to be his best friend. There were slight differences, in his face and the aura emitting of him, but he could recognize that confidence and _smugness_. The person standing in front of him was Ryota Hibiki, his best friend since childhood. There was no other person who could fit the criteria.

But then Ryota's eyebrows knitted together, bewilderment marring the lost boy's features. "Who?"

A halfhearted grin, that didn't quite reach Gashu's eyes, formed on his lips. He ignored the pang of disappointment that settled in his stomach. "Oh, um, yo!" he greeted weakly. "Hey, man, how's it going?"

The fake Ryota sent him an odd look. "I'm alright," he gestured to the sandwich Gashu held with a simple wave of his hand. "In case it wasn't obvious enough, I brought you something to eat."

Gashu rubbed the pad of his thumb over the plastic wrapping. "Thanks, I was starving. I was about to leave to grab something from a vending machine. You're such a lifesaver."

Fake Ryota made a face. If it was possible, he looked even more confused. "… You were about to _willingly_ get something to eat?" he asked. "On your own; without anyone there to force something down your throat?"

After a curt nod, Gashu took a big first bite from his sandwich.

Shaking his head, fake Ryota plopped down next to the double. He bumped their shoulders together, sending him an amused grin. "And you told me you'd never spend your lunches up here again," he teased lightly. "Well, you always were a terrible liar."

"I just felt like going up here today, I guess. It's actually a pretty nice place."

The fanged stranger shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't think I'd find _you_ behind that door," he admitted, letting out a sheepish chuckle. "I thought I was heading to our homeroom class. I was planning on turning in last week's assignments."

Gashu's nose wrinkled. "But you were climbing all those stairs. Did you really think that behind _that door_," the double pointed his index finger at the door across from them. "Was going to be a classroom, our homeroom classroom?"

"… Yes."

A soft smile cracked on Gashu's lips. Fake Ryota had some Ryota-type qualities. In a way, his best friend _was_ sitting next to him. Maybe back home, he was sitting on the rooftop right now, wondering where his best friend had disappeared to. This time a different pang jolted in his body. Gashu bit another chunk from his sandwich, he spoke through his mouthful. "I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"At least I found the high school," Ryou huffed. "Today I must be lucky. I hardly ever find you on my first day back. Did you know I was coming back? Was that why you were up here?"

Gashu snorted. "Think what you want, buddy."

Fake Ryota's smile drooped, after they shared a laugh. "I'm sorry for wondering off like that. I was just… being stupid again," he sighed, using his fingers on his good hand to comb his hair. "But I guess I must be _really_ lucky this week. My mom found me. It probably would've taken me a lot longer to get back if she hadn't."

"Ah man! I'm sorry to hear that," Gashu clucked his tongue in sympathy. He missed the puzzled stare fake Ryota gave him, as he shoved what was left of his sandwich in his mouth. "Did she make you clean the pig pens again?"

Fake Ryota stared at the double. "I don't understand. Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"No way, I didn't mean anything bad by that, believe me! It's just," Gashu shrugged. "She really cares about those pigs. Sometimes I get the feeling she'd rather spend time with those things than with her own family. I swear she only married your pops because of his curse."

"I don't understand," fake Ryota spoke slowly. "Are you saying that my mother," he blinked. "That she's in love with animals? With _pigs_?" he sighed. "You know what? Forget it. I don't want to know what goes on in that head of yours. _Anyway_, when mom found me, she was pissed. Well, more mad than usual. The first thing she did was drag me to the hospital. Apparently I've missed a few weeks worth of therapy sessions. I just don't understand why she's still stubborn that I keep doing them," he gestured to his sling. "It's been weeks and I'm still wearing this stupid sling. They obviously aren't working."

_He's doing therapy for his arm? His injury must be more serious than I thought. _"… Oh."

"She thinks something will happen along the way," fake Ryota continued. "I know Dr. Tofu promised us a 'little' discount because we're all family, but I feel like we could actually use that money for something else. We all know mom's business isn't doing so well. I keep telling her we should use the money to make sure her restaurant doesn't go bankrupt again. But she's so hopeful about that therapy. I don't want to tell her anything – even though we all know it's useless to keep thinking my arm will be as 'good as new'."

"You can't say that," Gashu said. "It's worth a shot."

"It was worth a shot a long time ago," fake Ryota pointed out with a sigh. "Now, it's just old news. Honestly, I don't really care about the arm thing as much. I've gotten used to the one good arm thing for a long time now. I've been thinking about this for awhile now," he paused, touching his sling with the fingers on his good hand. "Ryuku, I think I should just get rid of it."

"Are you saying," Gashu swallowed. There was no way he could finish the rest of his question. "You're going to chop off your arm?"

Fake Ryota confirmed his question with a nod. "Well, I wouldn't 'chop it off'," he corrected. "My options were to either take the therapy or amputation. Since the therapies aren't working I might as well go for what else I have left. It wouldn't be too bad. I could probably get a prosthetic arm or something."

"But how," the double bit his lip. "How can you take care of yourself out there with _one_ arm?"

"I've handled myself pretty well so far. I don't think losing a limb will make much of a difference."

Gashu wasn't about to give up. Fake Ryota or not, this was still his best friend. "What about the, you know, _the Breaking Point?_"

Fake Ryota gave him an exasperated look. "What about it?"

"How can you use it?"

"I still have another hand Ryuku," Fake Ryota explained, waving his good hand in front of Gashu's face. "But I don't see how that would be a problem. I rarely use _The Breaking Point_. When I have to, well, like I said I have the other hand available." His lips fell to a slight frown. "Are you okay? You've been acting kind of weird."

"How else am I supposed to act? You're telling me you want to chop your arm off! I don't think you should it."

"Look, I know you feel terrible about the whole thing but this is my choice."

"I think you shouldn't give up on the therapy. You never know –"

"I do know, Ryuku!" Anguish shone in his eyes, a flash of betrayal about his face. "I know that it's useless! The chances have been slim from the beginning! Those therapies everyone has been desperately clinging onto _aren't_ working! I thought you'd be more supportive."

_How am I supposed to connect with some guy I don't know? _Gashu pondered desperately. Amputation seemed too extreme of a solution, despite the many months of apparent lack of progress – there had to be some way of connecting with this fake Ryota. Gashu strained himself, rattling every little distance thought, until suddenly he decided to play a card of chance. Ryuku, he assumed, was fake Ryota's best friend so there had to be something in their past. He decided to let fake Ryota do the talking. "Remember when we were younger?" he cleared his throat.

Fake Ryota looked at Gashu. "You've got to be more specific than that. I remember a lot of things from when were kids."

Gashu scowled, looking away from the lost boy to mask his uncertainty. "We had that big argument?"

"You mean, when we went hiking for the first time with my dad?" fake Ryota snorted. "I know kids can be pretty selfish, but man, I was bad. I hated having you there. It was supposed to just be me and my dad. Then _you_ had to show up and ruin everything. Thinking back, I know why you had to go, we wouldn't have known where the hell we were going without you. But that didn't mean I had to be happy you were there. I made it a living hell for you. I'm surprised that you stayed with us. Then I remember when you finally blew up at me. You got so pissed that your face was nearly as red as your hair! But if you hadn't gone with us I don't think we would've become best friends. In fact if anything, I think we would've been rivals."

His plan worked perfectly. "Yeah, that's the argument I was thinking of!"

Fake Ryota's wistful expression turned into a sour one. "You're changing the subject," he accused. "You can change the subject but I'm not changing my mind about this, Ryuku."

"I think we're much better as best friends, don't you think? If we were rivals, you wouldn't stand a chance against me. Besides, you're not a fighter. You never wanted to be one," he guessed considering what Ryuku had told him about his friends, in particular Takumi was the fighter in the family. "I think that you should listen to your best friend and keep up with the therapy. You're just frustrated."

"… I wouldn't stand a chance against you?" Fake Ryota snorted. "Someone's gotten modest while I was gone." He looked off into the distance, for what seemed like a minute, before saying. "Fine, I'll give it a couple of more months. But I just feel bad. I don't want to be a burden anymore to my family."

"I understand. Your family wants you to get better. Just hang in there, buddy!" Gashu clapped his hand on the lost boy's shoulder, giving a comforting smile. "Don't lose hope! That's all we got!" Inwardly, he cringed at the cliché but fake Ryota looked Gashu at ease with a nod of his head. And for a moment, Gashu felt a strange bond to this different Ryota, something that he hadn't felt since coming to this world, a bond of friendship.

**X**

The word "overwhelmed" seemed like an understatement when describing the sight of the Cat Café. The restaurant was literally packed with hungry customers. Gashu could only gawk at the ridiculous long line that stretched down the street at an impressive length – it was like it dragged on for miles! All of this attention for a simple bowl of noodles? It could be that Gashu was underestimating what the Cat Café exactly served to their loyal customers. After all, it wasn't like the double ever had a chance to drop by and order a bowl herself. The café had been sold years ago. It was strange seeing the restaurant bustling about with people. Gashu had been used to seeing the restaurant let as an empty husk collecting dust, as no one had wanted to buy the lot.

A melancholy sigh came from Gashu. While the Cat Café was in the process of being sold to the market, _she_ was there. _No way!_ Gashu vigorously whipped her head from side to side. She forced her way through the crowd of people to slip inside the entrance. _There's no way she'd be here! _

Once inside the restaurant, the double saw that the café wasn't faring any better. Every available seat and table was full. The place was so cramped that groups of customers were left standing with what little space remained. Sounds of dishes clattering in the background and utensils scraping on plates did little to loosen Gashu's nerves. The other waitresses were already hard at work, doing their best to tend to the customers' needs, while simultaneously doing any other thing they could possibly do. Looking over at the hectic activities, the double stayed planted in her spot. Now was the time when reality chose to beat her over the head. She had no idea what to do.

There was never in a day in Gashu's life when he had to actually do manual labor. Why would she have to? The family dojo was where all the money came pouring in. Of course, Gashu occasionally assisted with several of his father's classes, taking the role as a practice dummy. But from all those hour long sessions, Gashu wasn't even given a single cent. The only source of income she earned came from her lousy cousin Keiji. From all those countless pictures and videos he'd recorded of Gashu and from one too many favors his cousin owed him.

Gashu cursed under her breath, her hands gripped onto the silk material of her slacks. She was more than willing to be thrust into any sort of intimidating situation. The double had lost count of how many fights she was placed in, due to a friend asking for urgent assistance. Those types of predicaments weren't very hard to figure out. But no one would come running up to her, begging to be saved from their job. If this was some sort of ploy to get fired, which Gashu highly doubted, then Ryuku picked the right person. She should've asked the redhead for some helpful pointers. This was all Ryuku's fault anyway. She couldn't remember agreeing to this. If they were on better terms, she would've dropped by for a short visit, asking for _any_ sort of advice she could think of. She hardly paid attention to waitresses, unless they were attractive (but even then, her attention wasn't focused on how well she served her customers).

If there was one good piece of advice from the Hibiki family it was: paying attention to your surroundings. The other waitresses were frantically filing in and out of the kitchen, hurriedly rushing to deliver a customer's order. _It'd make sense to go to the kitchen first_, Gashu told herself with a curt affirming nod. Curling her hands into determined fists, the double strode to the kitchen, where she was greeted with a chaotic scene of busy employees. Immediately, Gashu's face was welcomed by smoldering heat and smoke. It was as if she had entered a stuffy mad house. Her nose wrinkled from the strong scents of spices and fresh produce. A waitress was heading in Gashu's way, struggling with a heavy load on her tray.

As Gashu was about to offer the poor girl some help, another waitress cried out. "Ryoko, about time you got here!" she stood in front of the stoves, hurriedly stirring a wooden spoon in a bubbling pot. "Don't just stand there! Go grab an apron and start working!"

"I-I'm on it, ma'am! I can do this!" Gashu confirmed, although her tone greatly contradicted her confident words. She rushed over to where frilly pink aprons were hung on hooks lining the opposite wall. After placing and tying the garment in place, the double was prepared to do her share of work. But when she saw all the girls bussing around her, there was a sharp tug on her already decreasing confidence. She had no idea where to start. _Shit. Can I even do this?_

Someone tapped on her shoulder; Gashu glanced over to the left and heard a giggle to her right. "Ryoko," she stiffened when cool breath brushed against her ear. She had been too preoccupied with everyone else around her to be able to sense someone sneaking up on her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm totally fine!" was what Gashu would've proclaimed. Instead, a flabbergasted gasp left her lips, while her jaw dropped and her eyes doubled in size. "I, uh," she rubbed at her eyes. _This is some sort of weird dream right? I must've passed out from the fumes in this place_. When she lifted her hands away, the purple haired Amazon still stood in front of her. _Gosh, she's still so – _

"Is something wrong?"

Gashu closed her mouth, shaking her head. She attempted to speak, but realized the strange sounds coming from her were thanks to her closed mouth. "It's nothing! I'm just, uh, you know, overwhelmed by everything going on!"

Lotion's lips curled into a small smile.

_Wow. What a smile._ "Um, yeah."

"Everything's so stressful during rush hour. I've been working here for most of my life and I'm still not used to it," Lotion's eyes softened, as she overlooked the boy-turned-girl. "But if you're not feeling alright, you can always take an early break. I wouldn't tell mother a thing."

"No way, ma'am," Gashu shrieked, only to wince from her shrill tone. She bowed her head, hiding pink stained cheeks. "I'm here to work!"

The Amazon's lips fell to a frown. "Are you sure? You don't have to push yourself. You're one of our hardest workers. I could understand if you wanted to relax for a bit."

Gashu stared at her fists. "I'm sure, totally completely sure!"

Despite their loud frantic surroundings, Gashu was still able to hear Lotion's bubbly giggle. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you so excited to work before," Gashu risked, sneaking a glance. The Amazon had lowered her eyelids; her long eyelashes accented her gorgeous light sapphire eyes. She leaned closer towards her, purring in a low playful tease. "Did you really miss me that much?"

Blood raced to her Gashu's cheeks. The double began to flail her arms about, as she weakly sputtered. "_Yes!_ I mean, n-no! No!" _Flirting! She's flirting with Red! I don't know if I should be jealous or clap that prick on the back._ "Err," she fumbled, noting Lotion's smirk change to a frown. "Maybe I did? I'm j-just kidding!" An awkward anxious laugh accompanied her equally awkward jumbled words.

"You're acting strange," Lotion said. "Are you sure you're alright, Ryu – _Ryoko?_"

"Totally fine," Gashu reassured her firmly. "I think I'll feel better once I start movin' around."

Lotion nodded, although she didn't appear to be convinced by Gashu.

"So, I guess I'll just start," the double skimmed the kitchen, feeling a heavy weight of uncertainty. "Get working and stuff."

"Sounds like a good idea," As the double moved forward, she halted when a soft hand encircled her wrist. "Hey, why don't we wait tables together? It'll be a lot quicker. After we both clear out the tables, I'll sit the customers down and then you can take their orders? Does that sound good?"

Gashu couldn't fight off a grin. It looked like it was her lucky day after all. Not only was she getting help, but she was getting help from a gorgeous Amazon. "That sounds more than good! It sounds great! Awesome!" she cheered ecstatically. "I'm up for that!"

"Alright! That's good to hear!" Lotion agreed through a giggle. "Just let me go grab us some cleaning cloths first. I'll be right back, okay?"

As the Amazon crossed over to the sink in the kitchen, it was the perfect chance to reanalyze the girl's figure. It had been while after all. Gashu's eyes rested on Lotion's lower regions. She swayed her hips when she walked, sashaying like she was deliberately putting on a show. Gashu whistled lowly to herself. _At least the jerk clearly has taste. I could _almost_ forgive him for that_.

**X**

Slipping through the bedroom window proved to be a quick getaway. When Ryuku landed onto the grass, she wondered why she hadn't bothered to leave through the front door. There wasn't anyone else home. There was no reason to sneak out of the house. Perhaps, in her own special way, she was mocking a certain double? Speaking of Gashu, her timing couldn't be any more perfect. Her double was busy working at the café and her mother wouldn't be home for hours. There wouldn't be any problems to deal with this time around. Ryuku wavered, pausing in mid-step with her hands jammed in her jacket pockets to look down at her outfit. She was wearing a plain light purple track jacket and loose fitting white jeans with matching colored sandals. Everyone on her body belonged to her mother, yet it didn't make her feel any better, knowing they no longer fit her. Clothes from her teenage years, passed down as hand-me-downs for her son's girl form to wear. The clothing weren't in bad taste, since most of them were either jeans or jackets. Her mother's taste had always leaned more towards a tomboyish style. Her hand clutched around her cell phone in her pocket – her mother. What a horrible subject to talk about.

Gashu could say whatever he wanted. No matter how much he tried or insulted Ryuku, he would never understand anything that happened in Ryuku's life. No one could. The one person who could even slightly comprehend his situation was now happily married with a child on the way. A child she hadn't even bothered to inform her fiancé about. Ryuku's jaw clenched. If her train of thoughts continued to dig deeper into such unpleasant mindsets, she was going to give herself a horrible headache. Her phone abruptly vibrated against her palm. Wearing a slight frown, she took out her handheld device and flipped it open to read the new message. She shouldn't be wasting time standing around. Not when she had somewhere she had to be.

Ryuku didn't even make it four steps forward, before an all too familiar voice suddenly chimed. "And where do you think _you're_ going, little lady?"

Her frown deepened, she didn't want to turn around to face him, but if she didn't – there was no point on delaying the inevitable. Reluctantly, Ryuku forced herself to look at the house. Peeking dangerously close to the edge of the rooftop was Gashu, who waved his hand at her in a mocking manner. "What are _you_ doing?" Ryuku snapped. "Shouldn't you be at work right now?"

Gashu tilted his head to the side, eyeing Ryuku with an expectant look. "I asked you a question first."

"Doesn't matter," Ryuku retorted irritably. "I'm done talking to you."

"Oh, don't you worry. The feeling's mutual, buddy," Gashu agreed firmly. "But the problem is I kind of _have_ to ask you something, even if I can't stand the sight of you. It really sucks, you know. I can't even admire myself in the mirror anymore, because all I think about is your stupid ugly face."

"You just insulted yourself too, idiot," Ryuku told him. "I don't care what you have to ask me. I'm not going to tell you shit."

"That's fine with me," Gashu shifted into a crouching position. It looked like he was going to leap off at any second. "Then I guess I'll just have to follow you, until you change your mind."

"You're staying here."

Gashu laughed. Ryuku hoped her laugh didn't sound that irritating. "Since when are you allowed to tell me what to do?" he asked, without a hint of curiosity. "Do you think I'll even listen? Did you forget that I'm pissed at you? I'm not really fond of taking orders from people I'm mad at."

The expression worn on Gashu's face told Ryuku everything she needed to know. If the double wasn't going to have his question answered, he wasn't going to leave her alone. Ryuku would've ignored him, claiming his response as a bluff. But the double wasn't in a particularly good mood towards her. There was a higher chance that if he didn't get any answers, he _was_ going to follow her. Ryuku shoved her cell phone back into her pocket. Every minute that ticked by was another minute wasted.

"_Fine_," Ryuku gritted out. "What do you have to ask me that must so damn important?"

Gashu flopped down onto the rooftop tiles. "It's about the Cat Café."

"What about it? Did you get me fired?"

"No. Well, almost, but that's not what I was going to ask," Gashu told her. He twirled a pink headband around his index finger. Ryuku recognized it as the headband that was part of the required uniform for the café. "You work with Lotion, huh?"

Ryuku nodded her head. "I'm guessing you know her."

"Yeah, I know her. She went to Furinkan for a few months, before she had to move back to China."

"Okay, that's cool," Ryuku said dryly. "Were you two friends or something?"

Gashu tossed the headband in the air and caught it with a grin. "I guess you could say that."

Ryuku's eyes narrowed on her twin. "I can tell where this is going and I already don't like it."

"What's wrong?" Gashu asked. "Who cares if I dated her?"

"I do."

"What? _Why?_ Are you jealous? Is she your girlfriend or something?"

Ryuku crossed her arms across her chest, raising an eyebrow at the boy on the roof. "Was that all you had to ask me?"

"Not going to answer, hmm? Well, you just answered another question," Gashu quipped casually; he moved the headband over his head and fluffed his fringe. There was a glint in Gashu's eyes that didn't quite sit right with Ryuku. She refused to take Gashu's bait for an inquiry. She wouldn't let the conversation drag on any longer than it already was. "But no, I'm not done just yet, _Ryoko_."

"Then get on with it!"

Gashu clasped his hands together in front of him, fluttering his eyelashes at his double. "Don't I look pretty?" his eerily uncanny imitation of a flustered schoolgirl fell apart, when he erupted with laughter from Ryuku's seething glare. "Where are you going?"

"That's none of your business, you freak."

"Ah, that's not surprising to hear! Alright, have fun then! Don't do anything too stupid! I don't want to drag your ass out of jail!"

"What's that supposed to," she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket once again. "Don't do anything stupid, while I'm gone. Got it?" she blinked at the abrupt disappearance of her twin. "That annoying idiot."

There was never enough time in the world to deal with Gashu's annoying antics. She had somewhere to be.

**X**

Despite being the best of friends, there were times when Ryota got on his nerves, particularly when he wouldn't leave him alone. But Ryota was never this annoyingly persistent. It would be around this time when the lost boy would back off and leave Gashu alone. At this point, Ryota would've made a beeline for the nearest exit right when he sensed something was upsetting his friend. If Gashu didn't want to talk to him or _anyone_, he'd accept this fact with no questions asked. Ryota and Ryou may share some physical similarities, sometimes he occasionally acted like Ryota (it was strange that Ryota shared anything in common with a book nerd), but this imposter would never be _his _best friend. However, the double admitted he was impressed by the lost boy's persistence as annoying as it was. Gashu only had to deal with Ryuku for several longs days, but Ryou had to deal with him for the majority of his teenage life. If that wasn't an amazing feat, Gashu didn't know what was.

The double threw a glance over his shoulder. Ryou was still hot on his heels, remaining stubborn and still _annoyingly persistent_. The guy was pretty adamant that they spend their lunch together. Whenever Ryota didn't give up sooner, it was almost too painfully easy to lose the Hibiki. If it was any other time, Gashu would've done just that but Ryou had no idea what was going on. The least Gashu could do was politely, or at least _somewhat_ politely, send him off somewhere else. Finally, Gashu came to a hasty stop and faced the other high schooler.

"Finally decided to stop ignoring me?" Ryou asked, blowing his bangs out of his eyes. "What's so great about the roof top all of a sudden?"

"It's a nice change of scenery."

"What does scenery have to do with eating lunch?"

"What's so great about where _we_ eat?"

"_You_ were the one who found that spot! In fact, if memory serves me right, _you_ also insisted we keep eating there," Ryou crossed his arms across his chest; the yellow bandana wrapped around his left bicep was just another reminder of Ryota's difference to this nerd. "Because it was, and I quote 'nice and quiet'."

"You don't always have to eat lunch with me," Gashu said matter-of-factly. "If that spot means so much to you then go crazy. I'm not going to stop you."

Ryou's shoulders slumped, his stern composure started to break. "How can you say that, Ryuku?"

"If you're not happy eating on the roof, you don't have to! That's all I'm saying! Don't make this into such a big deal, Ryota!"

"There you go again, calling me Ryota! Who the heck is this Ryota guy?"

"Just don't worry about it! It's no one!"

"Who pissed you off this time?" Ryou demanded, taking hold of Gashu's arm. When Gashu violently shook him off, he gave him a hard stare. "It couldn't have been me. I haven't been in Nerima for days."

Gashu bit the inside of his cheek, struggling to keep his frustration at bay. "Just," he grunted. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing. I just want to be somewhere else."

The lost boy must've had a lot more to say, but instead he stared into Gashu's eyes, as if he'd expect to find an answer that way. "I guess if you have your heart set on the rooftop," Ryou murmured, letting out a soft defeated sigh. "I'm not going to stop you."

"If you want," Gashu started. "I could take you to our spot."

"Nah, you don't have to do that," Ryou said through a chuckle. "I might as well go with you. You'd only have to come fetch me after lunch is over. The last thing I want to be is an inconvenience for you, Ryuku."

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to. I don't want to… inconvenience you."

For a split second, it felt like Ryota was with him when Ryou laughed. He sounded just like his best friend. "Did you think I've completely forgotten about the eleven years I've known you? Of course, I'm going to eat with you!" he flashed him a fanged grin, playfully shoving Gashu's shoulder. "You're not only my faithful navigator. Unless you forgot, I'm pretty sure we're still best friends."

"I didn't mean that in a bad way. It just you didn't seem like you wanted to –"

"Let's just forget about it," Ryou said. "We'll go to the roof and eat. I brought some okonomiyaki with me."

Gashu's face brightened at that. "Sounds great, can't wait to eat some!"

Ryou snorted. "The last person I'd expect to hear excited about my cooking would be you Ryuku," he said. "By the way, are you trying to make some sort of weird fashion statement?" Gashu dodged Ryou's attempt to snatch his beanie. "Why are you constantly wearing a beanie all of a sudden? Hiding your red hair?"

"I thought we were going to go eat!" Gashu clutched at his headgear protectively. "Lunch doesn't last forever!"

**X**

The text message read: '_I had a lot of fun with you :)'_

Ryuku blankly stared at the black font on his phone screen. He hesitated before he sent back a short message. It wasn't until several seconds later when another text was sent back. This time the message was slightly shorter than the last one and was tagged with a question. Ryuku was the only one at home. Both Gashu and his mother had their taken being eaten up by work. Nothing was going to be an obstacle. There wouldn't be a meddlesome double to deal with. After settling on an answer, Ryuku typed back a response and sent it. He tossed his phone on his bed, moving to pick up the half empty glass of water on his desk.

When Ryuku was out the front door, now in female and decked in modest attire, she started on her way to her destination. The walk wouldn't be a very long one, even if taking account of Ryuku's leisurely pace. The end of her walk brought her to a small café. It was a place she and Misaki often frequented, whenever her cousin was craving a sweet treat. In fact, this was the same place where she and Megumi had their so-called date. Ryuku could remember the other patrons watching after her as stormed off. She still couldn't believe that she had shouted at Megumi. Peering through the lightly tinted glass, she could see the messenger already seated at a table.

"Let's get this over with," Ryuku muttered under her breath, as she entered the café. She politely declined a waitress's offer to take her to a seat, informing her that she already had a table. Making her way over to the messenger's table, Ryuku saw a slice of carrot cake in front of her, a pink plastic fork in her right hand. It only took the messenger approximately seven seconds, before she timidly waved Ryuku over with a shy smile.

"Ryoko, I hope you didn't wait long," was her greeting. "I told the waitress you were fine with water. Is that okay?"

Ryuku looked at the pink tinted glass filled with iced liquid. She slipped into the empty seat. "Water's fine. But I don't think you should be the one saying that," she told the girl, frowning. "I hope _I _didn't take too long."

Ayano shifted in her seat. "No, its fine," she quickly assured her. "I've only been here for, um, about ten minutes," her smile broadened. "But let's not worry about that. I'm really happy you wanted to meet up with me again. I still couldn't believe _you_ wanted to see me. You never really replied to my texts before," she chuckled anxiously. "Last time was fun, right?"

Slowly, Ryuku nodded. _It got me out of the house_. The last time, she and Ayano, were at the café Ryuku had left Ayano carry on the conversation. She was half-listening to Ayano's ramblings, while she idly stirred her bland cup of tea. She hadn't even been seated for three minutes, and already, Ayano had started going on and on about something trivial. But it was going to be different at this meet-up. She had a topic set in mind. "Ayano," Ryuku pressed on the tip of her bendy straw. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, you can! You can ask me anything, Ryoko," Ayano said. "What is it?"

_Would you be this nice if you knew who I really was?_ "Alright, if you're sure," Ryuku leaned forward to take a small drink. "It's about my brother Ryuku."

The cheerful expression on Ayano's face faltered. "Oh."

Ryuku refrained from throwing any comments. "Is that… okay to ask you?"

"I meant it when you could ask me anything," Ayano said. "But I haven't spoken or seen your brother lately. I can't tell you very much about him."

"I was just wondering how he's been acting recently."

"He's been," Ayano placed her fork on a napkin. "Okay, I guess. I think he's been spending his lunches up on the rooftop," by the time she reached the end of her sentence, her gaze had shifted onto the table. Her lips pursed together. "I hope you don't mind if I ask you some questions, about your brother?"

"It depends on the question."

"You don't have to answer," Ayano said softly. "It's just, Ryu – _Saotome _has been acting kind of," she sighed, "strange around me."

"Strange? What do you mean by that?"

Ayano fidgeted in her seat. "Just more strange than usual," she said. "I don't want you to think even lesser of your brother. We haven't spoken to each other since he crashed into me," under her breath, she murmured, "for the third time."

"Third time?" Ryuku asked. "Do you think he's running into you intentionally?"

"Why would he do that? He's sending me mixed signals."

_Gross, I'm not sending any signals to anyone. _"You know what? I'll talk to him," Ryuku told the girl. "I'll make sure he leaves you alone."

Ayano shook her head. "I don't mean to start any problems or anything. It's just, he's acting completely different. I guess we'll see how it goes."

"But if nothing changes let me know, okay? We're friends after all," Ryuku stared at the glass of water, disgusted with herself. This wasn't about Ayano, this was about Gashu. She was using Ayano to get information and she didn't want that idiot to cause anymore fires that she had to put out.

The rest of the meeting was more of a flurry of idle chitchat that she cared nothing about, but her ears did perk up every time Togo's name was mentioned. For some reason, the name caused more of an irritation than Ryuku could stand, but she kept her mouth shut and tried to enjoy the rest of the night.

**X**

Once he reached the top of the ladder, Ryuku could see the outline of Gashu's body stretched on the dojo's rooftop. The double had gotten home from work about half an hour ago, yet when Ryuku went to search for him, he was nowhere to be found inside the Saotome house. Whenever Ryuku needed time to think, he'd flee to the roof. But it seemed that the perfect thinking spot for Gashu proved to the rooftop of the _dojo_. It was another minor difference between the pair to tack along the always growing list of differences. Without making a sound, Ryuku stepped onto the roof tiles and slowly approached the blissfully oblivious double. As he neared his twin, he reached inside the folds of his jacket to take out a thermos. The ice inside lightly clicked against the interior of the container. After popping off the top, Ryuku swung his arm in order to target the contents of the thermos flawlessly, thereby dousing his double with freezing water.

A sputtered gasp came from the receiving end of the water. "W-what'd you do that for?!" Gashu desperately wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to gain some sort of warmth from doing so. Her teeth were chattering, while she glared up at her twin. "Jeez, what's _wrong_ with you?"

Ryuku pointed the thermos at Gashu. "What's your problem?"

"_What?_" Gashu exclaimed shrilly. She shook her head, shaking off any remaining water from her dripping matted hair. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"You've been acting strange around her," Ryuku said. "I want to know why."

Gashu threw an ice cube at him. "You're a real peace of work," she spat. "You come up here and, and dump f-freezing water all over me and then you," she gritted her teeth together, but it proved to be rather difficult since she was shivering. "What are you talking about?"

"Ayano," was Ryuku's simple answer. "You've been acting strange around her."

"Why should I answer you?" Gashu growled. She whipped her head to the side, refusing to look at her twin. "How do you know that I've been acting strange around her?"

Scowling, Ryuku took out another thermos and proceeded to dump the chilled water and ice over the double. He grimaced when his ears were invaded with Gashu's high-pitched howls. "It doesn't matter how I found out," he said, shaking the last of the ice cubes on Gashu's head. "All that matters is the answer to my question."

"N-no way, you wacko," Gashu retorted at the top of her lungs. "I'm not telling you squat!"

"Yes, you are! Anything you do affects me! Unless you've forgotten that you're supposed to be pretending to be me?"

Gashu twisted the water out of her hair. "Why does this matter? It's not like she means anything."

"Because it matters," Ryuku said. "Now talk. Or else I'll bring the hose up here."

"… She bothers me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know! She just," Gashu shoulders shook. Ryuku wasn't sure if it was from the cold or from something else. "She bothers me! I just get this feeling that I know this chick but I don't know her! I think I _should_ know her but I honestly don't. It's like when you have a catchy song stuck in your head but you can't remember what it's called. It drives you crazy trying to figure out what that song is! This chick's like a stupid song! She bothers me, because I can't get rid of this feeling! I can't even focus on Lotion at work, because all I'm thinking about is: who the heck is this Ayano girl!? _What does she mean to me?_"

Ryuku remained silent.

"Then I start thinking why? Why should I know this chick anyway?" Gashu curled her fingers in her damp hair. "Did she like me? Did we date before?" she groaned, digging her knuckles into the side of her head. "I don't know why this is bothering me so much. I've dated a bunch of girls. Heck, I've seen girls here I've dated before, but I don't even give them a second thought! All that's different with this Ayano girl! And I hate it! I really hate it!"

Ryuku closed the thermoses in his hands. "Then get over yourself."

Gashu laughed, although it sounded painfully forced. "That's easy for you to say."

"This internal struggle of yours doesn't mean you have to bother her," Ryuku said. "Do you want to know how to get over this dilemma? You forget about her."

"Forget about her?" Gashu repeated with a snort. She peeled her leather jacket off of her body, roughly shaking it to rid the garment of water. After folding it and setting it down next to her, she cocked her head to look up at Ryuku. "Hey, less-awesome-Ryuku," she said, using a sly feminine voice. "Why don't you go and follow your own advice?"

Ryuku was about to reply with a retort, but the insult died on his lips when Gashu rolled up and removed her shirt. The soaked top landed on the roof with loud wet splat. A catlike smirk played over her lips, when she stretched her arms above her head. Flustered, Ryuku averted his gaze to the side. _What the hell is wrong with him! _A pleased grunt came from the double, who announced. "Man, it's a lot less cold now!"

"Put your clothes back on, stupid!"

"What's wrong with you?" Gashu asked. "It's not like you've never looked at yourself before, right?"

"I-I'm not some pervert!"

"You're such a liar. Anyway, I'll listen to you once you get over yourself. Sound like a good trade off?"

Without thinking, Ryuku glared at the double, only to sputter and turn away once again. "You're some sort of disgusting pervert, aren't you? Are you getting some sort of gross satisfaction from this, you fucking freak?"

"I'm just getting some pay back."

"What are you –" the rest of Ryuku's sentence was cut off when he suddenly found himself sailing in the air. Wincing, he clutched as his stomach, realizing his double, who was waving at his departing body, had given him a hard kick in the gut. Water enveloped Ryuku's body when she landed. It wasn't until she bolted upwards, sputtering out water, that she found that she landed in the koi pond. Ryuku blinked down at the water. The koi pond was actually _clean_; there were no traces of mold or algae anywhere. There was actual koi swimming around. The fish were frantically swimming, now that someone had unexpectedly dropped into the pond.

"It's weird seeing it clean, isn't it?"

Ryuku whipped her head up, glaring up at Gashu, who was thankfully fully dressed and peering down at her.

"It wasn't very easy cleaning it," Gashu informed her. "But _someone_ had to do it. It wasn't so bad though. Ma was more than willing to help me out. Anyway, I think I'm going to go to the furo. Some jerk thought it'd be funny to throw water all over the place. Don't catch a cold!"

**X**

She was alone.

Searching through her locker _alone_ (she was always around that Togo guy) was the chick who had been invading his thoughts. The last thing he should've done was stop walking. But it was as if his body had a mind of its own when he saw her. It felt as though the lower half of his body had shut down, planting him firmly a few feet away from her where she stood, while his eyes stared and stared. His mind reeled and his stomach did absurd twists and flops. The girl closed her locker with the side of her hip, moving her schoolbag and textbooks around accordingly. When their eyes connected, her eyes were wide and shock was clearly written over her face. She nearly dropped everything in her arms.

Gashu greeted her with a short wave. "Hey did I, uh," he skimmed the hallway. There weren't many people around. "Catch you at a bad time?"

Ayano's eyes turned downcast. "No."

"I," right after the first word left his mouth, his mind drew a complete blank. How unusual. His mind was constantly filled with all sorts of phrases when he was around girls. "I," he tried again, only to sigh a moment later. This wasn't looking very good. "I'll see you later."

"Wait."

Immediately, he glanced behind him, waiting for her to speak. He hated how apprehensive he felt. Girls were never able to make him lose his self-control. _He_ was always the one in control. It was supposed to be the girls who felt like this.

"Are you," _Guess I'm not the only one having problems speaking. _"Are you trying to apologize?"

He tugged at the end of his beanie, since he couldn't exactly run his fingers through his hair. "I guess I am."

Ayano nodded. "I don't think I can accept it," she murmured. "You have to understand Saotome, I can't," her lips turned into a frustrated frown. "Whatever you're trying to do, I don't want to be part of it. I know I must've gotten on your nerves. I understand that. Believe me. I guess this whole thing just made me realize that we're," she sighed. "We were better off as how it was before. When we didn't know each other, when all we had was… nothing."

Gashu pressed his hand onto his chest. His heart sank from her little speech. "I'm sorry but _why?_"

"Please don't ask me that," Ayano said. "We both know why. Well, I'm sure you knew before me. I just realized it now. We're too different from each other. I'm sorry," she bowed down in front of him, tightly grasping at her book and schoolbag. "I'm sorry for troubling you and breaking promises. I'll never trouble you again."

"Yeah," After a short pause, he let out a strained chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I better go. Togo's waiting for me."

"Was I holding you from your boyfriend?" Gashu lightly slapped his forehead. _I'm surprised my big mouth has only given me so much trouble. _"Well, um, I mean, I always see you two together. I just assumed that –"

Ayano's back straightened stiffly, her head shaking and her cheeks flushed. "W-we're just friends."

"I was just wondering," he shrugged nonchalantly. "I better get going." He rushed past her, gnawing on his bottom lip. His mind continued to race. _She doesn't mean anything! She doesn't mean shit! She's just some boring average girl! Get over yourself, Gashu! _He ended up at the stairs, where Ryou was leaning on the railing, fiddling with a handheld device. "You found our meeting spot."

The lost boy didn't look up from the glowing screen. "Yes, I did. What took you so long?"

"Sorry. Something came up."

"I'm sure," Ryou's thumbs pressed onto some buttons. "I was able to find our spot thanks to this new GPS mom gave me. Since my last one died on me… and I lost it."

"Try not to lose this one," was all Gashu said, before he began to climb up the first flight of stairs. He focused on each step, slowing lifting his leg up to ascend onto the next step and then the next step.

Ryou was already on the next few flights ahead of him. The lost boy looked over the railing, only able to watch his friend take his time up the stairs. "Is there something on your mind, Ryuku?"

"I don't think so," Gashu replied. "I guess… girl problems."

"Is that so?" Ryou asked, his tone teasing. He waited for his friend to catch up, before he added. "Who's the lucky lady? Or by 'girl problems' do you really mean 'Megumi problems'?"

Gashu shrugged. He shook his head, gently slapping his cheeks in an attempt to calm his thoughts. "But who cares, right?" he jammed his hands into his pants pockets. _She doesn't matter, right? You can't blow your cover just because of some girl. _"Man, that quiz today was rough. I bet you probably got the highest score in class."

"I wouldn't say the highest," Ryou said. "It wasn't hard. Maybe you should've studied a bit more. But who knows? Maybe you did better than you think."

Gashu slouched, mumbling to himself. "I know the girl in front of me did."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Gashu swiftly responded. "How's your arm doing?"

Ryou spared a brief glance at his nonfunctioning arm. "It's alright," he said. "It's still not working and we're still wasting money on useless therapy. Same old stuff."

Gashu nudged Ryou in the side with his elbow. "I'm sure you ma doesn't think that. Even with all those pigs and stuff, I'm sure she cares about her kids."

"That's true," Ryou agreed. "She _does_ care, doesn't she? Even with all those pesky pigs."

"'Sides, I'm sure your accident wasn't even _that _bad," Gashu said as an effort to fix Ryou's sour mood. "Getting lost all the time gets you hurt. Just make sure to pay attention to where you're going. Look around next time. How about you dodge the next wild animal that decides your dinner?"

Once they reached the door leading them to the rooftop, Ryou prodded Gashu aside to grab onto the doorknob. "You know, Ryuku, you make a good point," He twisted the knob and swung it open, gesturing for the double to enter. "Since you're so smart, why don't you go first?"

"Thanks!"

The door closed behind the double with a slam. "Hey, Ryuku, I have a quick question!"

Ever since he's bumped into Ayano for the second time, he's been off – first it was the fake Ryota dropping a delicious sandwich on his face, Lotion sneaking up on him, then it was Ryuku with his stupid thermoses, and now it was Ryou again, who had somehow tackled him onto the door. Gashu winced; the doorknob was digging in his back at an uncomfortable angle. "Um, Ryou," it was hard to laugh from how hard Ryou was pressing into his ribs. "Is this how you normally ask someone a question?"

Ryou snatched the beanie off of Gashu's head, exposing the redhead's pigtail.

Gashu's eyes widened. _Shit._

"Alright," Ryou snarled, his fist clenching tightly on the knitted headgear. "Who the hell are you and where's my best friend?"

It was hard to maintain a grin when Ryou was glaring daggers at him. "W-what are you talking about? I am Ryuku!"

"Last time I checked, Ryuku didn't have _this_," Ryou yanked on Gashu's braid, making the redhead wince. The double gave props to the lost boy. He didn't think many people would be able to hold someone down, and pull on someone's pigtail with only one fully functioning arm. Maybe if they managed to get past this little roadbump, Gashu would compliment the lost boy on such an incredible feat.

"_Ouch!_" Gashu yelped. "Do you have to tug so hard?"

"I'll tug it off, if you keep avoiding the question!"

Gashu flailed, he was trapped in not only an awkward situation but also an equally awkward position. He shifted away from the doorknob drilling into his back; it proved to be difficult due to Ryou's close proximity. "And what question would that be?"

"_Who are you?_"

"Ryuku Saotome!" he exclaimed when Ryou shoved him back onto the doorknob. "W-who else would I be?"

"There's no way you're Ryuku," Ryou said. "You're some sort of… imposter!"

"What kind of imposter would look exactly like Ryuku?" Gashu asked snidely. "You need to chill out, man! We're all friends here, aren't we?"

Ryou's eyes narrowed cautiously on the double. "You may look like him, but you sure as hell don't act like the Ryuku I know," he gave Gashu's pigtail another sharp tug. "You better tell me what's going on here."

"I know it's lame to say this but it's a long story," When Ryou finally relinquished his iron hold on his braid, Gashu breathed in relief. He stepped away from the door, absently rubbing where the knob had been imprinting a deep mark on his lower back. "I think that'll leave a bruise."

"Good," Ryou grunted, clearly not in the mood for Gashu's attempts to make light of the situation. "You have the rest of lunch to explain _everything_ to me."

**X**

"We've got a problem."

Ryuku clicked the switch off on his desk lamp. He calmly folded the paper in front of him and set it down, ignoring his double's heavy breathing at his door. "What kind of problem would this be? Is it you barging into my room?"

"Ryou knows," Gashu said in a rush. "He knows about me."

"What did you tell him?"

Gashu blinked. "You're not mad that I blew our cover?"

"I was waiting for someone to see through your crappy act eventually," Ryuku shrugged. "I'm not surprised the first person who found out was Ryou. He's not an idiot. Of course, he'd notice something like this."

"Oh, well I'm glad you're taking this so well," Gashu grunted, he dropped his beanie on top of Ryuku's desk. "But there's something else you should know."

"And what would that be?"

"Ryou's, uh, here," the double told him sheepishly. "He's waiting for you downstairs. He _really _wants to hear your side of things. Guess he believes your words over mine," he scratched at his cheek, lips stretching into a pout. "I don't think he likes me very much."

"I wonder why?"

"Funny."

Ryuku pulled open one of his desk's drawers to look inside. "Here."

The double caught the small bag Ryuku flung towards him. "What's this?"

"You asked if I got you something."

"Wow, I didn't think you'd bother," Gashu said. "I don't know what to say."

"Close my door on your way out."

Right when Ryuku left him by himself, Gashu opened the bag looking inside to see a box. Once he took the box out, he noticed that it was made out of a clear plastic material. Clinking in the box was a pair of necklaces. Attached to the silver chains were silver puzzle pieces. "… I really don't know what to say."

**X**

If someone had to compare Ryuku's specific room to the overall house, then his room wasn't messy. That was what Ryuku told himself, after he'd tripped over his luggage that he had left on his floor. He pushed himself off the floor, deciding now would be a good time to finally unpack. After unzipping his bag, a distinct voice began to inform the redhead his opinion in his head. Said voice sounded eerily like Gashu, who was boasting how he was right about _every single thing_.

"Shut up, Gashu."

Scowling, Ryuku dumped everything inside his bag onto the floor. He began to idly short through his belongings, before he shoved the majority of his clothing in either his hamper or dresser. With his empty bag in hand, he stood in front of his closet and proceeded to squeeze the bag into the cramped shelf. Suddenly, a letter had fallen from one of the bag's open pockets. The enveloped spiraled in the air before it landed at his feet.

"… What's this?" he bent down to pick up the letter, closely examining the writing on it.

It was from Megumi.

**X**

He wasn't sure how many times he'd read the neatly written scrawl on the sheet. An unreadable facial expression was written on his face. Carefully, Ryuku refolded the paper and slipped it back inside the envelope. After placing the letter in a safe location, he took a seat on his bed, thinking and thinking. Even when the signs of a headache were coming he still thought. With a deep sigh, he went to get dressed and left the house holding a large paper bag. He pulled up the hood of his jacket, effectively covering himself the people around him. There weren't many people at the small establishment he was now standing in front of. He slipped around the back of the building, to where the employees were allowed to take their lunch break.

The area was quite bare, tucked away from everyone in a small lot, the only decorations adorning the location was a dying tree and a rusty dumpster, which had piles of black trash bags nearly spilling out of it. Ryuku's nose wrinkled from the foul stench that filled the air. But the smell didn't seem to bother the woman, who sat by herself at what served as a lunch table – an old broken picnic table. The woman was slouching, resting her head onto her forearms. Ryuku lowered his hood, stepping forward and pressing on a tree branch, which snapped under his weight.

The woman hadn't turn to look at him. "You're not supposed to be back here," she told him, voice muffled. "Employees only."

"I brought your lunch."

"Ryuku?" she lifted her head, her upper body turning to gawk at her son. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school right now?"

Ryuku disregarded her, closing the rest of the distance between them to hand her the paper bag. "You forgot this at home," he said. "I figured you might need it."

Akane's gaze softened, before she accepted the bag from him. "Thank you."

Nodding, Ryuku glanced off to the side, staying rooted to his spot. "It smells."

"Yeah, I hate it," Akane chuckled. "Ryuku," she waited for him to look at her, to see her extending her hand to the empty spot next to her. "Do you want to…?" Silently, he took the seat next to his mother. Akane opened the paper bag, a tentative smile on her lips. "Did you eat yet?"

"No."

"Do you want some?" she asked. "Don't worry I didn't have time to make anything this morning. It's all store bought."

"Well, if you didn't make it," Ryuku murmured softly, accepting a meat bun. "I guess it'd be okay."

The rest of Akane's lunch break was spent in silence, until surprisingly it was Ryuku who chose to speak first. "It's nice."

"What's nice?"

"The koi pond," her son mumbled. "It looks a lot better clean."

"Yeah, I think so too."

It wasn't a perfect scene between a mother and her son but, if anything, it was certainly a pleasant start.

**X**

_Kiddo__ – Ryuku,_

_By the time you read this, if you _ever_ decide to check your bag, you'll already be home safe and sound. I know you must be feeling all sorts of things right now. I know you're upset with me. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me. When I showed up on your doorstep and saw you, I honestly thought you were someone else. I couldn't believe that you were the same little kid I used to babysit. You've grown up so much, Ryuku. I still can't believe it. When we were on our little date, I could tell how much you changed and matured into the young man you are today. My suggestion to you was a ridiculous one. I almost expected you to turn me away. I wouldn't have been upset with you if you had. I would've understood, but I'm so glad you went back with me._

_Ryuku please understand that I never once, these past few days, ignored how your feelings. You're such an amazing guy. It's a shame you weren't a few years older, huh? That's right, Ryuku, I've always known you've had a crush on me. You never were good at hiding it. When we saw each other again, I thought you would've forgotten about your babysitter. But I guess I was wrong. You never let go of me. You sure know how to flatter a married woman._

_I don't want us to lose contact with each other. I never forgave myself for ignoring all those letters you sent me. I still have everything you sent me. You're one of my favorite things to remember about Nerima, Ryuku. All I can say is that… I hope you'll be able to forget about me. I know it won't be an easy thing to do. I know how it feels to be in your shoes. It's a horrible feeling, but you won't always feel like this forever. I promise. There's someone waiting for you, Ryuku Saotome. Whoever that person is, is a lucky one. I admit I'm almost jealous of whoever they may be, because you're quite the catch!_

_If you ever need to talk to someone, know that I'm here for you always. _

_I've attached every kind of contact I could think of. Please don't be afraid to write me. I'll definitely write you back. Feel free to send me anything or call me! Wouldn't it be fun if you could convince your mom to let you visit? _

_But before you pick up that phone or start that letter, I want you to promise me something first. Are you ready? I want you to… wait, for at least a few months, before you do anything. I'm glad we finally had the time to catch up and spend time together. But now, I think we need space from each other. _

_You were always more than that kid I used to watch at his house. You were the little brother I never had and always wanted. You were an amazing kid, who always looked out for his babysitter. You're not a little kid anymore, Ryuku. _

_I can't wait to hear from the mature and wonderful man, I know you'll become._

_Love, _

_Megumi _


	27. Filler 5: A Break to Reminisce

**Filler:** A Break to Reminisce

Her reflection returned the tentative smile she wore. She moved several steps back to, once again, examine the outfit she had finally settled on. Complimenting her loose fitting aquamarine sweater was a long white cotton skirt, which swayed a little past her kneecaps. She picked the lint off her top, before she slipped on a grey duffle coat (an old Christmas gift from her sisters). She willed herself to strengthen her smile. Today was going to be a good day. It was the first time in many long and hardworking months that she had a day off. The day was going to play out exactly how it was planned. There would be no supposed Jusenkyo cures to deal with. No heartbreaking hours spent stressing and shedding tears over her comatose son. No pesky and frustrating Separations to deal with. Today was a complete stress-free day.

But even if, for some unexplainable reason, her day did end up ruined, she wouldn't be entirely torn-up about it. In fact, if she discovered right when she turned up at the restaurant that everything had been canceled, with no one telling her a thing – her good mood would still remain perfectly intact (although, she would get a teensy bit irritated, if no one mentioned _anything_). What brought on such a wonderful mood which caused Akane Saotome to feel high above the clouds? The answer was simple: things were finally starting to look better for her and her son. Granted, the improvements weren't major jumps and only little things, but nevertheless, their strained relationship was slowly beginning to repair itself. It was a long overdue process, nine years in the making, but she wasn't about to give up when everything was just starting.

After tidying her hair, she placed an intricately knitted beret on (a handmade gift from Kasumi), wrapped a mellow colored scarf around her neck and stared at herself in the mirror. She had returned home late last night, at nearly six o'clock in the morning. When she collapsed on her mattress, her entire body aching and her head throbbing, she was out like a light within the next few minutes. When she awoke, her clocked stated she had slept well into the beginning of the afternoon. Approximately seven hours of sleep compared to her usual three, four, or on a very lucky day five and a half. However, despite the luxury of a few extra hours, she _still_ had bags under her eyes and she _still_ looked exhausted. Her fingertips pressed under her eyes, in a vain effort to conceal her sunken eyes. She wouldn't have enough time to stop by Kasumi's to ask for a quick touch up.

Letting out a soft sigh, Akane set her brush on her dresser and, after one last look at the mirror, she exited her bedroom. The scene she was greeted when she arrived at the main room was anything but pretty. The Saotome house hasn't been in the best housing condition for a lengthy amount of time. There was trash _everywhere_ you looked; it was the Saotome residence had become an indoor dump. Every mother took pride in a perfectly clean living environment. Honestly, Akane didn't enjoy living in such a filthy setting – she wasn't sure when things started to collect: all sorts of dishes were piled in the sink, trash had been replaced as a new floor, leftover food wasn't an unusual thing to spot, an assortment of clothing were found here and there. The last thing on her mind was housekeeping, not when there were mountains of bills to keep track of – not when there was _important_ things that had to be taken care of first. But she hadn't minded the sudden change in her son, who had suggested they _at least_ clean the koi pond. The lengthy effort to scrape off all the stubborn mold and algae, to clean out the contaminated water, to purchase koi fish to swim around – it was a pleasant change, being able to finally see fish swimming inside the pond.

Their house certainly wasn't going to become sparkling clean overnight. It would take a great deal of patience, something her and her son currently lacked, but eventually Akane was positive she'd be able to look forward to return to a wonderful home. A home _she_ could be proud of. The one thing the Saotome family was able to do was work hard. Akane noted the added empty bags of snacks and cups of noodles scattered about on the floor. Dirty dishes were collected on the table, flies buzzing and circling whatever leftovers were stuck on the bowls and plates. The television had been left on. A game show was shown on the screen, blasting at a rather obnoxious volume. Now wearing a slight frown, Akane nudged the trash aside with her foot, until she found the remote hovering dangerously close to a pile of noodles that had fallen onto the floor. She turned off the TV, pondering if she had turned everything off after she'd gotten home last night. Akane had been too worn-out to focus on anything. Her body had moved on its own accord, desperately seeking for her bedroom to get much needed sleep. The only culprit left was Ryuku. But her son hardly watched TV and when he did he'd avoid game shows or anything of the like.

"He must've forgotten to turn it off," was Akane's simple conclusion.

A shout echoed somewhere further down the household, before a cluster of noise shortly accompanied afterwards. She followed after the source that was causing such a loud ruckus. The voices were coming from the kitchen. As she was approaching closer to the entrance, there was a loud sound of something clattering on the floor. She held onto the doorframe, cautiously peering inside the room. "What are you doing in there?" she nearly jumped when she heard flurry of shuffling feet on the floor. "Ryuku, what are you doing?"

Without a second thought, she went inside the kitchen expecting to find a massacre to have occurred inside. But there was nothing of sort. Her son, Ryuku, had his back turned to her as he stood in front of the trashcan. When was the last time someone took the trash out? Trash duty was listed somewhere in her constantly growing to-do list. Akane skimmed over their heavily muddled kitchen. The mess loaded on the stove was removed, placed who knew where, and a pan was placed on a heating element.

_What is going on here?_ Akane crossed the room to reach the oven. She saw decently cut slices of beef sizzling in the pan. Placed on the counter was a cutting board, with a variety of fresh vegetables on it. Two knives were placed next to the board, unused and wiped clean.

"You're," she had some difficulty finishing her sentence."You're _cooking?_"

Her son casted a glance in her direction, before he turned his gaze back to the trash bin. "I was hungry."

"I don't make that much noise when I cook."

A noncommittal snort came from Ryuku. "You were shouting all sorts of 'inappropriate words' when you cut your finger a few days ago."

_Inappropriate words_, Akane repeated to herself mentally. When a young Ryuku had come up to her, asking what a certain word meant, that was what she had called them. She had almost smacked him right when the word left his mouth. But he was only a child. He wasn't able to understand the meaning of such a harsh word. In response to his innocent question, she put on a strained smile and told him to never repeat those "mean, inappropriate words again". Apparently, Ryuku's Grandpa Genma enjoyed stating those kinds of words whenever Ranma had gained an upper hand in one of their many brawls. Genma was always a lovely house guest.

"It's strange."

"What's so strange about cussing?"

"That's _not_ what's strange," Akane said, huffing. "It's just," she shook her head, chuckling somewhat. "I could've sworn I heard you talking to someone."

She hadn't caught how rigid her son's posture became. "Are you sure you weren't hearing things?"

"It sounded like someone else was here with you," a moment later, a short burst of laughter left her. _Who else could Ryuku be talking to? _The only residents in the Saotome house were Akane and Ryuku. She stifled her laughter behind her hand, deciding to crack a joke. "Maybe I heard you talking to yourself? Your Aunt Kasumi hums while she cooks. Apparently I curse when I cook. I guess with you, you talk to yourself," she stepped towards her son. "Stranger things have happened in Nerima."

Ryuku turned to her, although his eyes weren't on Akane. He was looking at something off to the side in the kitchen. Akane followed along his gaze, but was stopped when Ryuku suddenly stood in front of her. The expression on his face was solemn. "Yeah, I was just talking to myself," he said firmly. His expression loosened, as it seemed that he finally took notice of his mother's appearance. "Why are you all dressed up? Are you going somewhere?"

Akane's face brightened. "Yes! I'm going to meet some friends for lunch," a hesitant smile graced her lips, before she added. "If you want, you could come along. I'm sure Yuka and Sayuri wouldn't mind," she forced her smile to widen. The hope rapidly bubbling up inside her was starting to become unsettling. "They've been asking about you. I think it'd be a lot of fun."

"Oh," was what Ryuku mumbled. His hand rubbed the side of his neck. "Maybe some other time?" he suggested lamely, as he stared off to the same spot as earlier. Just what was catching his eye in such a messy kitchen? "I'm already in the middle of fixing myself something."

Nodding, Akane eyed the cooking materials in her peripheral vision. "That's right, I forgot," she said. "Don't burn the house down, alright?"

"… But you're not the one cooking."

Her eyes narrowed on her son. Of course, his statement could've had all sorts of connotations attached to those six words. Ryuku could have made a joke, but the redhead was clearly being serious. "Very funny. What time is it?" she looked to the clock hanging next to the fridge. However, she found herself drawn to the _person_ crouched on top of the fridge. Red hair was suddenly clouding her vision. "What –" Akane was forced to face forward, Ryuku clutching at her biceps. She blinked. _Was I seeing things just now?_ Again, she blinked at Ryuku's hair. As if to check something, she reached her hand to tousle his hair. _My eyes must be playing tricks on me. Ryuku's one of a kind. Why on earth would there be _two_ of him?_ "Well, I better get going. I don't want to keep them waiting."

Ryuku loosened his hold on her arms. He circled around his mother, picking up a knife and starting to cut a cucumber. "Have fun."

"Ryuku?"

The steady sounds of a knife chopping on the board filled the kitchen. "Yes?"

"Do you think I could," she watched as Ryuku held the cutting board above the pan, shoveling uneven blocks of vegetables in with half-burn meat. "Could you come here for a second?"

After placing the board back on the counter, her son went to stand before her. "What is it?"

"Will you be alright without me?"

Ryuku raised his eyebrow at her. "I've been home alone plenty of times. I'm pretty sure I know how to handle myself."

Akane pursed her lips. "I know, but that doesn't make me," she stopped herself, realizing how she must've sounded to her son. "I just want you to be safe. You know that right?" she lovingly stroked his shoulder, offering him a gentle smile. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'll be alright," he assured her. "I'm fifteen. I think I can take care of myself. If something _did_ go wrong, I could always go to Aunt Kasumi's and Uncle Tofu's."

"That's right, you're fifteen now! I can't believe how much you've changed," she rested her hands over his shoulders, giving Ryuku a comforting squeeze. "You're so grown-up now. Before you know it, you'll be graduating high school and then leaving for college. One day, you'll come home with a wife and start having –"

Ryuku's eyes widened, he immediately cut Akane off before she could finish. "Whoa, mom, slow down! You're only going to lunch!" he told her, his cheeks stained red. "I'll be here when you get back."

Akane was overcome with laughter. "I'm sorry. Guess I got a little ahead of myself for a second," her hands shifted to cup Ryuku's flushed cheeks. "Anyway, I just wanted to give you a goodbye kiss," she leaned forward to give a quick peck on each cheek. "And a hug," after that was said, she brought him into a tight embrace. Ryuku stiffened, before he awkwardly patted her back. Akane sighed. She almost didn't want to leave. "I'll be back in a few hours, just in time to make dinner."

There was a pause until Ryuku dryly replied. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I better get going now," Akane repeated once more, after she reluctantly ended their hug. "If there's someone calling and you don't recognize the caller ID don't answer, don't answer the door if it's a stranger, and make sure to always –"

"Mom, I get it already!"

She pinched his cheek. "I'll be back soon."

Once Akane left the kitchen, she could already hear Ryuku talking. He must've already returned to his newfound interest to cooking. Hopefully, the burning smell beginning to waft through the house wasn't too much of a bad sign. As she slipped on her pair of flats, she debated for several seconds – "Goodbye, Ryuku!" – Before deciding to announce her departing to her son.

"_Bye, ma! Have fun!_"

"_You idiot, don't say anything!_" there was a loud disheartening bang.

"Ryuku, are you okay?" Akane called out. "I hope you're not hurting yourself!"

"_I'm okay! You can go! Have fun!_"

Akane stood in the entryway, shaking her head at her son's antics, and stepped out the door. When the door shut behind her, she could've sworn she heard Ryuku refer to himself as "Red".

_I _must_ be hearing things._

**X**

"Why are you so nervous? Where did all that excitement go?" Akane muttered lowly to herself, as she walked through the entrance of the restaurant. She had heard of the restaurant, but she had never gone to eat there herself. From what she had been told, it was the type of place where the better-off dined. The setting surrounding her was unexplainable. Simply describing the place as "fancy" didn't seem to give the restaurant justice. Self-consciously, Akane brought her coat closer to her body; feeling immensely underdressed compared to the other patrons. She wasn't sure if she had brought enough money to even pay for a meal, much less a drink.

Thinking back to her high school days, Akane had no idea when she had last spent time with her friends in person. All the group of three had were long (or fairly short) conversations over the phone. There was the occasional handwritten letter or a short messaged postcard. A prompt wave of anxiety washed over her. After the wedding, after starting a family, she had lost track of her own friends. The last she had heard sometime after high school Sayuri had gone her separate ways from Nerima. She headed off to a different country to attend college for medical school and became a nurse. Due to homesickness, it wasn't long until Sayuri returned to Nerima, where she was now working at Nerima Hospital. There was a short phone call from Sayuri, where the girls enjoyed reminiscing together. They didn't chat for very long but when it was time to say their goodbyes, it was then when Sayuri told Akane she now had a boyfriend. Akane wouldn't hear from Sayuri again, until several years later when she received a wedding invitation in the mail. Unfortunately, Akane wasn't able to attend the wedding. But she had set aside the time to purchase her friend a wedding gift, going out of her way to send the present early.

On the other hand, Yuka decided to stay in Nerima. Unlike Sayuri, she was able to go to Akane's wedding. In fact, it turned out that Yuka hadn't attended the marriage ceremony by herself, as she had a guest with her. Towards the end of their last year at Furinkan, Yuka had somehow gotten herself a boyfriend. A boyfriend named Hikaru Gosunkugi. When Akane had received Yuka's wedding invitation, she was able to make it with Ranma. The wedding ceremony itself was beautiful, but the groom had acted a bit peculiar – or at least, a bit more peculiar, considering it was Hikaru. Together Yuka and Hikaru had a son, Fumio, who Akane believed was Ryuku's age. Unfortunately, their marriage hadn't lasted very long. After a long and hectic custody battle was settled, Yuka began to attend college, pursuing a business major.

According to Yuka, she was now a _happily _divorced and successful business woman.

"Akane, look over here!" the excited exclamation brought Akane away from her train of thoughts. Akane could see someone eagerly waving her over to their table, which was located far inside the restaurant. A smile went over Akane's lips. It was Sayuri, who was otherwise known as Sayuri Sonoda. Her long dark brown hair was brought back into a low ponytail, held in place by a red ribbon. She was still wearing her hospital scrubs decorated with familiar smiling cartoon characters, which meant she would later have to return to work. As Akane was pulled into a hug, which she was more than happy to return, she noticed two things: Sayuri was the only one at the table, and instead of a table of three, there were two extra chairs added to their table. "Oh, I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Sayuri, it's been so long!" Akane searched the vicinity for any sign of her other friend's arrival. "Where's Yuka?"

"Don't worry, she's here. She received an important 'business call'," Sayuri told Akane. "But when I saw her look at her phone, I caught her frowning. I have a pretty good feeling it was her ex calling."

A worried frown tugged at Akane's lip. "I hope she's okay."

"Yuka's a strong woman. She wouldn't be as good at her job if she wasn't," Sayuri was quick to assure Akane. "I'm sure she's giving the lousy jerk an earful. I can't say I blame her."

"I still can't believe it didn't work out between them. It's such a shame," Akane said, as she and Sayuri took their seats. "I really thought they looked great together. When Yuka told me they were dating, I was thrilled! Hikaru is such a sweetheart. I was happy he finally found someone. He was so lucky it was Yuka!"

Sayuri shrugged. "I wouldn't exactly describe Hikaru as a 'sweetheart'."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He's a complete scumbag!" another voice sharply interjected. "A total creep! If I knew what I was getting myself into when I asked that weirdo out, I would've escaped sooner!" Yuka Gosunkugi heaved a loud exasperated sigh, shoving an expensive branded cell phone into her handbag. Despite the frustrated look on her face, Yuka still looked just as pretty as Akane remembered. Her light brown hair was cut into a rather flattering pixie cut, with her bang neatly pinned to the right side. She was dressed in professional attire, something she'd expect Nabiki to wear: a long sleeved collared dress top with a tanned business skirt. "But let's forget about that prick! Akane, it's so good to see you!"

Akane stood to give Yuka the same hug as Sayuri's. "Yuka, is everything alright?"

After their hug was properly finished, Yuka plopped down onto the vacant seat on the opposite side of Akane. "No," she picked up the glass of iced water in front of her. "That lousy ex of mine apparently doesn't have time to bring Fumio's things to my apartment. _I _have to go out of _my_ way to swung by his pigsty place just to grab a few bags. It's not like it'll take him days to bring everything! Our apartments aren't that far apart. I still can't believe the decision was _shared_ custody. He was a horrible father. He never even cared about his own son! I can't believe a nice gesture led me to," her shoulders shook with an unbridled fury; she slammed her drink onto the table, sloshing the clear liquid violently inside. "I'm glad I escaped that nightmare!"

"I'm so sorry, Yuka," Akane said. "I didn't know things had turned out so badly. You two looked so happy when I last saw you."

Yuka pinched the bridge of her nose. "That was before we were married," she pointed out. "Before we were living together, it was the beginning of my own personal horror film," the business woman's lips formed into a displeased frown. "Ah, what am I doing? I didn't come here to talk about that. It's all old news."

Akane shook her head. "No, no, it's perfectly fine. I want to know everything that's been happening with you two," she sighed. "I've been such a horrible friend. I don't even remember the last time we were able to spend time together. I was so happy when I heard Sayuri was back home, that we were all finally back together again… but we, _I _never had the time for all of us to get together."

"Don't say that Akane," Sayuri soothed her friend. "We've all been too busy. Not everything has been easy for any of us. We can't spend as much time together as we did in high school. If we could, I don't think we'd get very much work done!"

Yuka nodded, affirming her agreement. "Sayuri's right," she said. "At least _now_ we're able to have time for each other. It's always better late than never," she picked up the menu, flipping it open. "I don't know about you two, but all that yelling has given me an appetite."

Sayuri laughed. "I could eat something."

While Akane would've voiced her agreement, she couldn't help but mention the extra chairs at the table. "Are we expecting others to join us?"

A sheepish look went on Yuka's face. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited Daisuke and Hiroshi," she said. "I had a meeting over at their company, they just happened to be part of the same meeting. We decided it'd be fun if we all had a chance to get together."

"That's totally fine," Akane confirmed, wearing a light smile. "I haven't heard from them in forever! It _will_ be fun when they get here! I can't wait to hear what's happened in their lives after high school! Which reminds me," she faced Sayuri, who had started to nibble on an appetizer, and then faced Yuka. "How have you _two_ been?"

Sayuri swallowed her mouthful, before she decided to speak first. "I've been wonderful Akane," she answered. "Your wedding gift was really thoughtful. Yamato and I really appreciated it. Well, _I _did at least. Yamato isn't very fond of medicine books. He still appreciated the gesture."

"I'm glad you liked them," Akane said. "Dr. Tofu recommended them. He was sure you'd like them."

There was a laugh at Akane's right from Yuka. "You still call your brother-in-law Dr. Tofu?"

Sayuri playfully shushed the business woman, although she was bubbling with laughter herself. "Hey, old habits die hard, Yuka! Be nice!"

"I can't help it," Akane said. "Even if he's my brother-in-law, he'll always be Dr. Tofu to me," a nostalgic feeling filled her. She turned to Sayuri, asking a long overdue question. "How did you and Yamato meet?"

Blood filled Sayuri's cheeks, coloring them a fine shade of a rosy pink. "I was his nurse," she said, giggling. "He had hurt himself by falling out of a tree. The funny thing was he was on a date with a girl. When he walked her home, she noticed her cat was up in a tree. Being the polite gentlemen he was, Yamato begin to climb the tree to save the cat. He was too busy thinking how happy she'd be when he saved her pet, that he hadn't paid attention to his footing and well… the story didn't end very well after that."

Akane laughed. "He sounds kind of… interesting."

"He's a total goofball," Sayuri stated, a fond smile on her lips. "Apparently, when I walked into his room, he claimed it was 'love at first sight'. His wounds weren't serious, just a few scrapes, so he was quickly sent home. One day, I noticed that I had the same patient to tend to. Yamato was planning to gain my sympathy by creating a sob story for his latest injury. The only problem was, when I walked in, he was at a total loss of words. He admitted that he faked his injuries to ask me for a date. How could I say no? He was adorable."

Yuka sighed, cupping her glass with both of her hands. "I'm so happy for you, Sayuri."

The nurse sent the business woman a concerned glance. "I'm sorry, Yuka, I know you don't want to hear this, but I know there's someone for you out there. You just have to look for him."

"That's okay," Yuka replied nonchalantly. "To be honest, I don't really have much of interest in pursuing another relationship. That's not to say, I won't find anyone else. I'm just not in a rush to remove myself from single life. Besides, I'm perfectly content with focusing my attention on the only two things that matter to me: my amazing son and my work."

Akane perked at the mention of Yuka's son. "How is your son?"

Instantly, a grin lit up Yuka's face. "He's my pride and joy! Fumio was the only good thing to come out of my horrible marriage," she put her handbag on the table, where she fetched her cell phone. When she flicked the device open, the wallpaper on her phone was shown to be her son. "The good thing was that Fumio didn't get _all_ of his father's genes, but he has those stupid eye bags of his. But at least, he's not getting picked on like his father. He tells me he's good friends with Ryuku."

"Really?" Akane blinked. "I haven't heard Ryuku mention him at all. I wonder why he'd keep something like that from me."

Yuka shrugged. "Boys will be boys."

"Wouldn't it be fun if we had another lunch with our kids?" Sayuri suggested enthusiastically, bouncing slightly in her seat. In that moment, she didn't look like a grown woman, but like an ecstatic child being showered with gifts at Christmas time. "Doesn't that sound like fun? I'd love it if your boys could meet my Kouhei. He's only two years younger than Ryuku and Fumio, but I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem fitting in."

"You know, that does sound like a good idea!" Yuka agreed with an affirming nod. "I'd finally be able to find a reason to make Fumio wear something fancy. Maybe I'd even be able to convince him to wash that gunk off his face."

As Yuka and Sayuri began to plan the day out, Akane was left to think about her own son. Would he agree to come along to such an event? She wouldn't mind spending more time with her old high school friends, but she couldn't speak for Ryuku's behalf.

"What do you think, Akane?" the two looked at Akane, patiently waiting for her answer.

"It does sound nice," Akane finally replied, after a long pause. "I'm sure Ryuku would be open to the idea."

**X**

"Sorry, we're late girls!" was the first thing Daisuke Sugiyama announced when he arrived at the table with his good friend, Hiroshi Matsumoto. Akane couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was difficult to believe these were Ranma's old buddies. She had been used to seeing the boys in their high school uniforms. It was very unusual to see the two tricksters, in pressed pinstriped business suits with their hair slicked back – looking very professional with their shiny briefcases and expensive wristwatches. Daisuke removed his sunglasses, slowly inserting it inside the breast pocket on his business jacket. "You know how hard work can be."

Vigorously, Hiroshi voiced his agreement. "Yeah, tell me about it! Working can be such a pain in the ass! But _someone_ has to bring that money home! Unfortunately, I have assumed the role as the breadwinner, while my poor wife and son are left by themselves, awaiting for the return of their –"

Daisuke nudged Hiroshi in the side, silencing the rest of his friend's exaggerated reason for his tardiness. "We're hard workers, they get it."

The three women exchanged unimpressed glances amongst themselves. As they faced the two men, Sayuri quirked a plucked eyebrow at them and asked, "Are you boys just about finished?"

Yuka hadn't bothered to spare them any pleasantries. "Instead of feeding us such, pardon my language, _bullshit_ excuses, why don't you two take your seats?"

"Well, since you asked us so nicely, don't mind if we do!" Hiroshi plunked down in the nearest seat, which was next to Yuka. He lifted the leather bounded menu in front of him; noting that there was nothing on the table, save for a half full basket of biscuits. "Daisuke and I know we're about," he checked the time on his watch. "An hour and a half late to lunch, but why haven't you guys ordered anything yet?"

Sayuri shared a smile with Akane and Yuka. "We were caught up in our conversation. Yuka kept turning the waiter away. We never remembered to call him back over to place our orders."

"That makes sense," Daisuke nodded along with Hiroshi. "Women _do_ tend to talk a lot more than –"

The business woman shot a threatening glare targeted directly at Daisuke. "Don't even think of finishing that sentence, Daisuke Sugiyama."

Daisuke straightened in his seat, mimicking a zipping motion across his lips. "I'm shutting up, ma'am!"

Next to Daisuke, Hiroshi was snickering behind his menu. After he managed to stifle his giggles, he lowered the menu to ask. "So, what were you girls talking about?"

Sayuri's answer was simple: "Family matters."

Hiroshi's eyebrows rose, he pressed further. "Really? What kind of family matters?"

"We were all catching up," the nurse replied matter-of-factly. "None of us have all the time we used to have back in high school, _especially _Akane. This is the latest we've all been able to see each other like this. You two were just a bonus."

Despite being told to keep silent, Daisuke decided to end his silence early. "That's a shame. I'm sorry to hear that Akane. I'm glad you were able to meet us today, even if we were just 'bonuses'," he shot Akane a friendly grin. "Hiroshi and I were talking about how we used to have the biggest crush on you, if that makes you feel any better."

Akane couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you?"

Hiroshi sent Akane a comforting smile. "How has everyone been?"

"In case anyone was wondering," Daisuke announced casually, he reached inside his jacket and took out a glasses case. He placed a pair of glasses on, before he went to look over the restaurant menu. "I'm married to a beautiful woman. Her name's Kimiko. Her dad's my boss and he hates my guts, because he hates that Kimiko loves me. We have two kids. My oldest is a boy, his name is Ichiro. To answer some questions, he's a stupid kid, who thinks violence is the answer to everything. My youngest is a girl, her name is Sakurako. She goes by Sakura and, while she's obviously a two-faced brat, my wife spoils her constantly."

Yuka raised her glass to Daisuke's announcement, in a mock toast. "You sound so pleased with yourself, Daisuke."

"I _am_ pleased!" Daisuke returned; his grin still set firmly on his lips. "What more could I want in life? I was sparing Akane from asking me herself. We haven't seen each other in forever after all."

"Well, if Akane needs to know she needs to know," Hiroshi concluded. "I'm married to an even beautifier woman named Etsuyo. Her family loves me. It also helped that we got married, before we started a family," he ignored the glare Daisuke gave him. "We have a son named Kohaku. Speaking of Kohaku, he hasn't been causing any trouble lately. He's being a good kid. His new high school is doing wonders for him."

Daisuke snorted. "Are you kidding me?" he asked snidely. "He's going to Hisen High School! That's the worst place to send any kid!"

"We've been over this already Daisuke! Hisen's a wonderful high school!" he turned to Yuka, who was the closest next to him. "You'll agree with me after you hear this, right Yuka?"

"It depends on what you have to say, Matsumoto," Yuka said. "But I'd like to agree with you."

"That's good enough!" Hiroshi told the business woman. "Kohaku's been having trouble at Furinkan. His grades have been dropping. I blame his friends; they were such a horrible influence on him. The teachers personally suggested Hisen to me. It's an all boys' charter school. I met the staff; they were all really passionate about their jobs! The principal personally went out of his way to greet me and my family. It's a friendly environment, perfect for Kohaku to learn and improve."

"The only reason they strongly suggested Hisen is because it's the perfect school for boys like Kohaku," Daisuke rolled his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest. "They got you eating out of the palms of their hands, Hiroshi."

Hiroshi scowled. "Don't forget that your son is attending Hisen, too!"

"Who said I forgot?" Daisuke huffed. "Kimiko hates that Ichiro is going to that place. It isn't any better. His grades are still suffering and he's still hanging out with the wrong types of kids. You see, girls, Hisen may sound like the perfect place to reform troubled youths, but it's the complete opposite of that. The staff may be the best they hired, but they don't give a shit. Why should they, as long as they're getting paid? The principal has his head up his own ass. The only things swarming around that hellhole are nothing but delinquents."

"Hisen was _meant_ for delinquents," Hiroshi corrected his friend. "The amount of gang related activity in Nerima has drastically lowered ever since Hisen was created."

Daisuke groaned at Hiroshi's preaching. "God, you're awfully ignorant, aren't you? Get your head out of the clouds, Hiroshi! All the gangs are practically being housed at that stupid school! The reason gang related activity lowered in Nerima is because all of that shit is happening at Hisen! I can't tell you how many times I've come home seeing Ichiro covered in bruises and cuts. One time I caught him trying to sneak a knife in his schoolbag! The only thing that school is doing is encouraging those kids to continue with their stupid violence and stupid gang bullshit."

"Kohaku hasn't mentioned any of that to me," Hiroshi's shoulders slumped from dejection. "He's telling me he's doing so much better now. That he was _happy_ I sent him to that school."

"I can tell when Ichiro's lying to me," Daisuke told Hiroshi. "I've been forcing everything out of him. He's part of a gang now. I bet Kohaku is, too," he traced his thumb over the rim of his glass of water. "You know, I bet they're still fighting each other, too. They haven't bothered to listen to a thing we've told them, the stupid idiots."

An awkward silence broke out throughout the table.

Akane's hands gripped at her skirt. She certainly hadn't expected to hear this. "If this is actually happening," she started softly, keeping her eyes locked onto her fists. "Why are they still attending Hisen High School?"

A deep sigh came from Daisuke. "Believe me, Akane, I've tried but Furinkan was thrilled when I agreed to have Ichiro transfer. If I didn't know any better, I bet right when I walked off Furinkan's campus the whole damn staff threw a party," he nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "They've always hated dealing with troublemakers at their school. There's no way they're going to change their minds, after I stupidly agreed to send my son to their 'highly recommended charter school'. I ate up all their stupid lies, too. 'Oh, it'll be good for Ichiro! He'll become a model student in no time!' It made sense on why they hired Miss Hinako, once she left the whole place turned to hell."

Akane fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. She could remember receiving several messages from the high school regarding Ryuku and his behavior. She wasn't sure if they had mentioned having her son transfer to another high school – all they had really put emphasis on was improving Ryuku's life at school. "I couldn't imagine sending Ryuku there."

"But why would they want to send, Ryuku?" Sayuri asked in disbelief. "He's such a wonderful boy!"

"If they're trying to do something, tell them to shove it," Daisuke informed Akane. "They can't send Ranma's son to that hellhole. If they're giving you any problems Akane, I'll personally march over to that school and –"

"Do what, Daisuke?" Yuka interjected with her eyebrow raised. "Violence won't solve anything you said so yourself."

Daisuke rolled his eyes. "When did I say I was going to punch someone?"

Noticing Akane's face fall at the mention of her missing husband, Sayuri glared at Daisuke. "_Anyway_," she said firmly. "Why don't we talk about something else? This discussion is killing the mood."

"You're right, let's talk about something else," Yuka voiced her agreement. "How is your son doing, Sayuri?"

In an instant, a proud smile lit up Sayuri's entire face. "Oh, my Kouhei's doing so great!" she beamed, expressing a certain pride only a mother could possess. "Yamato and I went to his soccer game last week. He scored the team their winning goal! He's become the 'Star Athlete' on his team. We couldn't be more proud of him! Not only that, but his grades are slowly improving, too. He's always had so much trouble with his schoolwork."

"Is Yamato still trying to make him follow your footsteps?" Yuka asked with a smile. "I can't imagine Kouhei as a nurse."

Sayuri giggled. "Yamato really wants him to become a doctor. But Kouhei hasn't really given his future much thought. It's perfectly understandable. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was thirteen. All he has his heart set on right now is playing soccer, soccer and more soccer. I think if he keeps it up, he might become soccer captain next year!"

"You know, Sakurako has constantly been mentioning a certain boy at school," Daisuke suddenly mentioned. "It just so happens that this boy plays soccer, too. I think he's also the 'Star Athlete' of the team as well," he grinned at Sayuri. "Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

"You don't think," Sayuri began, her smile falling to a discontented frown. "They're only thirteen. Don't you think that's a bit too young to be having crushes?"

A loud bark of laughter came from Yuka, nearly startling Akane and Sayuri. "How can you say that Sayuri?" she tittered uncontrollably. "You had the biggest crush on _Hiroshi_ when we were in middle school!"

The nurse smacked her hand on the table. "Shut up, Yuka!" Sayuri hissed, entirely avoiding the startled look Hiroshi wore. "That was a long time ago! All I'm saying is that my Kouhei shouldn't be focusing on girls right now. He should be focusing on his studies like the good boy I know he is."

"Who knows?" Daisuke shrugged. "Maybe they're already dating."

"Don't say that!" Sayuri pointed her finger at Daisuke. "They're not dating! They're much too young!"

"I don't see what the big deal is," Yuka said, her tone teasing. "Fumio likes someone."

Sayuri focused her stare onto Yuka. "That's perfectly understandable! Fumio is fifteen! That's the right age that teenagers should be expressing themselves!"

"Jeez, Sayuri, where is all of this coming from?" Yuka teased lightly.

"I just don't like this subject!" Sayuri said indignantly. "We're moving on. Let's talk about Fumio instead. What kind of girl does he like?"

"Well, one of Fumio's hobbies is photography. I don't mean to brag, but he's pretty good. I can understand why he's part of the school's newspaper," Yuka said. "He doesn't really show me his photos, unless I constantly ask to see them. One day, I was tidying up his room. I happened to notice he had pictures pinned on his wall. All of the pictures were of the same girl. When I asked him about it, of course, he dodged all of my questions."

"He didn't even tell you her name?" Sayuri asked.

"No, I couldn't pry it out of him. It's not like I would know the girl," Yuka said. "The one thing I managed to get out of him was that she was on the student council. But what can I do with that kind of information? It was cute seeing him act that way, it reminded me of our high school days. His denial kind of reminded me of you, Akane."

Akane blinked. "Why?"

"Don't play dumb, Akane," Yuka said. "You were always in denial about having feelings for a certain someone."

"Oh," Akane murmured, once realization hit her. "I guess I was a little bit in denial."

The men at the table exchanged knowing glances. Hiroshi grinned at Akane. "Doesn't a 'little bit' seem like an understatement?"

At some point during the group's long discussion, they had managed to finally place their orders. Akane had tuned out the others, blankly staring down at her bag on her lap. She knew it was an inevitable topic that would be brought up. Everyone who knew Ranma Saotome always felt compelled to mention the pigtailed martial artist. She wasn't upset by the mentions of her missing husband. She had expected someone to say something about Ranma; it was especially guaranteed when the person happened to be one of Ranma's friends throughout high school. Things were so much simpler back then, when Akane's lists of worries were short and to the point: schoolwork, spending time with her friends, additional fiancés, love – an everyday high school life, at least, for back then, Akane Tendo. Everything immediately changed when high school graduation came, when she finally married her fiancé and had a son. Things would never be the same once you assumed the job you had no way of taking a break from, a mother.

Akane looked over everyone at the table. Things hadn't only changed for her; everyone else had their own conflicts in their life to mull over themselves. Ranma would've enjoyed being here. He'd be sitting next to Akane, demanding the food be served quickly – the customer was always right, so why should they have wait for their meals? It wasn't like he'd skip out on paying like his own father often did. Ranma would be chatting up a storm with Daisuke and Hiroshi, enjoying himself and the familiar company. Akane couldn't help but _wish_ her husband was the one sitting next to her. A mother wasn't able to hold her own without a father by her side, without the support of her husband to keep her situated on the ground.

"… Akane, are you okay?"

She blinked, forcing herself away from her thoughts. She faced Sayuri, wearing a false smile. "What is it, Sayuri?"

"I asked how Ryuku was doing," the nurse repeated gently. "You haven't had a chance to talk about your son yet."

"Oh, Ryuku's doing fine." Akane replied.

"That's so great," Sayuri said. "It was terrifying seeing him arrive at the hospital in that… condition. We weren't sure he would pull it through. I'm so glad to hear he's better now."

"Whoa, wait a second! _What?_" Hiroshi invited himself in the conversation. "Your son was in the hospital, Akane? When did this happen? Is everything alright?" he glanced between everyone else at the table. "Am I the only one here who doesn't know what's going on?"

Daisuke frowned at his friend's frantic behavior. "Calm down, Hiroshi. This is the first time I've heard anything about this."

Yuka nodded. "Same here," she said. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Akane."

Akane sighed. "It wasn't a very good time," she said. "Not many people know about it, only family and the other family involved."

"Well, I'm relieved to know everything turned out okay. Do you have a picture of Ryuku?" Hiroshi asked curiously. "I don't even know what the kid looks like."

Wearing a light smile, Akane opened her bag and took out her wallet. She looked over all of the photos of her son. The one she currently held was a recent picture, taken several months ago. Ryuku was carrying Misaki on his back, with his face towards the camera. There was a warm grin on Misaki's face, while Ryuku seemed startled to find a camera suddenly in his vision. It was Kasumi who had taken the picture. Akane smiled fondly at the picture, but she decided to keep the photo to herself. She moved it to the bottom of the pile.

As she flipped through her pictures, she settled on a picture she had taken herself. It wasn't as recent as the one her sister had taken but it wasn't an old photo. Akane had caught her son sleeping on the couch, his body stretched in a lounging position. He wore such a peaceful expression that she couldn't help but snap a picture, to save the moment. Ryuku's hair was disheveled, there was a slight frown on his lips, and his shirt was wrinkled – but he looked so relaxed. Smiling fondly, Akane handed the picture to Yuka first, who leaned closer to Sayuri in order for them both to look over the photo. The girls gushed over how adorable the redhead looked. When it was Hiroshi and Daisuke's turn to look at the photo, they both began to laugh.

"Wow, he looks just like his old man!" Hiroshi commented mirthfully. "The resemblance is almost uncanny!"

"That's the same face Ranma wore, when we'd catch him sleeping in class," Daisuke laughed. "When Miss Hinako caught him sleeping, his face was always priceless!"

Akane's smile drooped slightly. When the photo was returned to her, she couldn't help but look over the photo herself. _He doesn't look that much like Ranma does he? _Her smile turned into a frown, she wasn't sure what the men were seeing.

"Oh no," Sayuri glanced at her wristwatch for the time. "I have to return to the hospital soon."

"Ah, right, work!" Hiroshi said. "Me and Daisuke have to head back to our prison, which reminds me Yuka, Hikaru told me that –"

"I don't want to hear it," Yuka snapped harshly. "If my former _love_ wants to tell me anything, he can come tell me himself. I can't believe you two work at the same company as him. You have my condolences."

Daisuke shrugged. "He's a strange guy. All he does is stay at his cubicle."

Another topic Akane wasn't looking forward to discuss was employment. It turned out that Daisuke and Hiroshi were working at the same company as Hikaru. Yuka was in charge of her slowly growing chain of companies. Sayuri enjoyed being able to take care of people at the hospital, working alongside Dr. Wasabi. Eventually, it was time for Akane to chip in her two cents. Everyone turned to Akane, waiting for her to speak. But it looked like Akane wasn't going to say anything anytime soon.

"Well, Akane what do you do?" Daisuke asked.

"I, um," she fumbled for words. How could she compete with everyone at the table? Everyone had well-paying actually full-time jobs, while she was left scraping leftovers off of tables and collecting meager tips. "Have a few part time jobs."

"_Oh_," Hiroshi jumped in his seat, wincing. Akane assumed it was Sayuri who had kicked him under the table. "Ow! Well, that's… nice?"

Akane shrugged. "It's a job."

From there the conversation took an awkward turn. Akane excused herself from the group.

"Will someone get our food over here!?" Daisuke exclaimed, while Akane was still in hearing range.

Akane stood outside of the restaurant, breathing in the fresh air. It wasn't long before Yuka joined her.

"We may be all adults now but they still act like kids sometimes," Yuka said. "Just ignore them, Akane. A job's a job. They know that. But we all know you're better than that. You shouldn't be working part time jobs, Akane. You're worth so much more than that. There's a position at my company that just opened up, Akane it's all yours if you –"

"Thanks, Yuka, but I'm fine with what I have," Nabiki had been the same, offering her a relatively high position at one of her firm's – a position Akane was nowhere qualified for. "But if I ever need to look for a job I know who to turn to."

When the two came back to the table, Daisuke cleared his throat. "I was thinking," he said. "I think we should get some drinks."

"What's wrong with your water?" Yuka asked, gesturing to her own glass.

"You know what I mean," Daisuke said. "We need some alcohol in our systems. I know I do."

"I second that notion," Hiroshi firmly agreed.

"I can't," Sayuri said. "If I go back to the hospital, _drunk_, that wouldn't look very good for me."

"What about you two?" Daisuke asked.

"Count me in," Yuka said. "If Hikaru expects me to show up at his house, he can't expect me to be there sober."

Hiroshi looked at Akane. "And you Akane?"

"No thank you," she said. "It wouldn't be a good idea."

Daisuke shrugged, as he waved a server over to their table. "Suit yourself. You don't know what you'll be missing out on."

**X**

She hadn't had a drop of alcohol, yet she still felt tipsy and off balanced. Her sense of time had become distorted. She wasn't sure when she'd exactly come home. All she knew was that it was late, _really_ late. Once she removed her shoes, Akane stepped out of the entryway and went for the main room. In her dazed state of mind, Akane saw that her son was seated at the table, where it appeared that he had fallen asleep. Ryuku had his arms crossed in front of him, his head on his forearms.

_Was he waiting for me?_ was the question that popped in Akane's head. Gently, she shook her son awake. "You shouldn't sleep here, Ryuku. Come on, get up."

Releasing a tired groan, Ryuku lifted his head up. He warily blinked at his mother. "Wha," he wiped at his eyes with his palm, stifling a yawn. "What time is it?"

"It's time for the both of us to go to bed."

Nodding his head, Ryuku stood onto his feet. The mother and her son were at the staircase in a matter of seconds, where they began to make their way up the steps. After she bid her son goodnight, Akane left Ryuku for her bedroom, which was located further down the hallway. As she stood in front of her bedroom door, a moment of hesitance overwhelmed her. Her hand held onto the doorknob, her mind pondering, despite the supposed influence of a drink she hadn't dared to touch. Quickly, she sped back to down the hall, until she was back at her son's side. "Ryuku!" immediately, Ryuku faced his mother, who brought him into a sudden embrace.

Ryuku fidgeted in her firm hold. "Have you been drinking, mom?" he asked, sniffing her blouse. "You smell like beer."

"Oh, Ryuku, I haven't been drinking. How can you ask your mother that?" Akane giggled, nuzzling her nose on her son's cotton shirt. She hadn't realized, until she had her son in her arms, how much taller he had gotten. He was Ranma's height. Her nostrils filled with a distinct scent that could only belong to her husband. "It was all Hiroshi and Daisuke. They were the ones getting drunk, those silly guys. They're not mature enough to be a grown-up like me, isn't that right Ryuku?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"They're some old friends of your dad's."

Ryuku didn't choose to response to that.

"I had such a great lunch."

Akane could feel her son snort. "Don't you mean dinner?"

"I didn't mean to stay so long," Akane told Ryuku. "I lost track of time. We spent so long talking and I haven't seen everyone in so long."

"That's okay. I wasn't saying that there was anything wrong with that," Ryuku mumbled. "It's good that you went out. I'm," he exhaled loudly. "I'm glad you did. You work too much."

"Don't say that. You sound like everyone else," she tightened her hold on the redhead. "I work for the both of us."

"I _know_ you do," he assured his mother. "But you don't have to work so hard. I'm working too, so I can help out."

"But we need all the money we can get."

"Yeah, I know."

"Ryuku," she lifted her head up, staring at her son's face. "You," she sniffled. "You look so much like him. You look like you dad, like Ranma," She clutched tighter onto his shirt, burying her face back on his chest. "If only he could see how much you've grown. Oh, I'm so, so proud of you. I love you so much, Ryuku. He's so proud, I'm sure he is too, wherever he is right now."

"Mom," Ryuku murmured. "I think it's time you get some sleep."

"But I'm –"

"Come on, mom," he gently tugged her away, wrapping his arm around her and leading her back down the hallway. "You need to sleep off that alcohol."

"I told you, _I_ wasn't the one drinking. It was all –"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time."

"I'm really happy though," Akane dropped her head on her son's shoulder. "Really happy," she lifted her head up, for a moment, looking at her son's face. "These past few days have been… well, a shock. But I don't mind the changes. We're… we're getting better now, right?"

Ryuku opened Akane's door, he brought his mother to her bed. Akane's moves were almost mechanical when she allowed herself to fall onto her bed and dive under the sheets. "You shouldn't be drinking so late," he told her, almost as if their roles as parent and child were reversed. "It's not very responsible."

"Ryuku, am I wrong?"

"… Good night, mom."

**X**

A pained groan left Akane's lips, when she opened her eyes and was greeted with her head pounding. Her entire body was reacting as if she was having a terrible hangover. Maybe she _did_ have something to drink without noticing. Her mind had been preoccupied with other thoughts. Maybe Hiroshi or Daisuke had slipped something in her drink, while she wasn't paying attention. Another groan came from the exhausted woman, as nice as it was to spend time with old friends; the consequences of a few drinks were never worth the trouble. Fortunately, today wasn't going to be a major problem. While she didn't quite have the day off, she wasn't due to show up for work for quite some time. There was plenty of time for Akane to not only work off her hangover and, at least, have some breakfast with her son.

Although it proved to be struggle, Akane managed to leave her bedroom, still dressed in last night's clothes and nursing a headache. On her way to the kitchen, she noticed the added trash and that the TV had been, once again, left on. When she reached the kitchen, she blinked at the sight presented before her. Standing side-by-side in front of the sink, were _two_ Ryukus.

Akane rubbed at her eyes. "Ryuku?" she was startled by an abrupt crash and saw Ryuku was now facing her, wearing a wrinkled pink apron and matching colored rubber gloves. The soft mellow colors greatly contrasted with her son's appearance, clashing with his fiery red hair and dark colored outfit for the day. Despite looking rather ridiculous, the redhead appeared to be uneasy, occasionally glancing off to the side at the same spot.

"G-good morning, mom," He meekly greeted his mother.

"That's so weird!" Akane laughed. "I could've sworn I saw _two_ of you! My eye must be playing tricks on me!"

A weak laugh came from Ryuku. "Probably," he said. "How could there to two of me?"

"Maybe I need glasses like Uncle Tofu," she offered Ryuku a smile, noting the pile of dishes and stacks of dirty dishes placed on the counter next to the sink. "Were you washing the dishes?"

"Um, yeah, sort of," Ryuku said, with a short nod. "I was trying to."

"Do you need any help?" Akane asked. "You'll need to scrape off a lot of month old food off those plates. It doesn't sound like an easy job."

"Why don't you go eat something? I've got some leftovers in the fridge."

Akane blinked. "You cooked again? What's gotten into you?"

"I had some help this time," he blurted out. "I called Aunt Kasumi for some tips!"

"I guess it'd save me some time."

"That's always good! J-Just go watch some TV or something! I'll bring you a plate in a bit, okay?"

"Alright," Akane said. "Let me go get something to drink first."

"_No!_ I mean, I'll get you something to drink, too!"

"Alright, Ryuku," Akane left the kitchen, uneasy from her headache and confused from her son's behavior. The sofa seemed to be inviting when she stepped into the main room. After putting the TV on mute, Akane settled herself on the couch and was asleep, before Ryuku managed to arrive with her breakfast.


	28. Ch 21: Enter the New Homeroom Teacher

**Chapter 21:** Enter the New Mysterious Homeroom Teacher

Outside the Saotome residence stood two individuals, who appeared to be the inseparable pair who had known each other since childhood, had taken a spot near the koi pond. They faced the large house, each young man carrying themselves in a distinctive manner. The tallest of the pair, otherwise known as the residential "Furinkan Idiot", was in a great deal of distress. The boy was throwing a handful of pebbles at Ryuku's window at a time. Whenever he ran out of ammunition, he'd subsequently scoop up another handful of pebbles.

On the other hand, Gashu was in a significantly better mood. His arms were folded comfortably behind his head, he watched his companion with a casual, but cautious, gaze. A considerable amount of time had passed, since the pair had been outside. Since this activity had been persisting for quite some time, Gashu decided it was best to call it quits for the night.

"You know, I think we've been out here for about," Gashu trailed off, slowly tugging his jacket sleeve to glance at his wristwatch. "Wow, almost half an hour. I don't think you're reaching out to him. Let's just call it a day, okay?"

Whenever Ryou clenched his jaw, Gashu noticed, there was a vein that would expose itself on his neck. It was big and thick and it worried the double that the vein would burst at any moment. It was starting to become difficult to ignore the heavy tense vibe emanated by the lost boy. If Ryou's facial expression was any indication, Gashu was prepared to incur the wrath of Ryou's impending rage.

When Ryou was down the last pebble in his hand, his hand curled around the small stone. "You'd think he'd at least respond to his best friend!" each one of his words were deeply punctuated with the boy's frustration and exasperation. "Ryuku, how long are you going to ignore me?!" he grabbed a handful of dirt and grass clumps, frantically chucking the pieces at the house. The clumps either hit Ryou's intended target or ended up completely missing. "That's it! I'm getting tired of this!"

"Believe me, you're not the only one tired with this guy's rotten atti –" Gashu's eyes widened as Ryou grabbed onto one of the boulders, which served as a perimeter for the pond. An alarmed squeak escaped his mouth when the lost boy began to lift the large rock from the ground. "Hey now, let's not do anything stupid!"

"The only one being stupid here is my _best friend!_" Ryou roared, hoisting the boulder above his head. What was terrifying wasn't that Ryou had ripped the boulder out of the ground, as if it were Styrofoam. On a good day, Gashu could easily replicate the same feat. However, what was surprising was that the boy had done so with just one arm. There was no way you could call Ryou a book nerd, instead the elder Hibiki looked very much like a Greek daemon. "If this doesn't get his attention, I don't know what will!"

Without hesitation, the double abruptly tackled Ryou onto the grass. Gashu barely flinched when the boulder landed with a hard thump a few feet away from his head. It certainly wasn't the first time he had to deal with an angry Hibiki and massive objects. "Believe me," Gashu said, lifting himself off of Ryou to support his upper body with his elbows. He flashed the lost boy a cocky grin. "I don't think that'll solve anything."

"What the heck do you know? Get off of me!" Ryou growled, harshly shoving the double away from him. Immediately, he bolted upright. "You don't know anything."

"Are you wiping away my germs?" Gashu asked as Ryou brushed himself off. "It's not like I'm carrying some sort of horrifying disease."

Ryou didn't bother to respond to the double. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, releasing a soft sigh. "When we talked last night, everything was perfectly fine. We had a good, no, _great_ talk. No one was getting mad. I thought I convinced him to finally leave the house."

Secretly, Gashu already knew about the civilities between the two friends. When he had informed Ryuku he was turning in, but in reality he had snuck downstairs to eavesdrop on their conversation. He kept a respectable distance from the pair (it wouldn't have looked good if they caught him snooping). Unfortunately, the best friends spoke softly to each other. After ten minutes, Gashu wasn't sure where their discussion was going on at all – was it good? Was it bad? When was Ryuku going to get pissed and storm off? – He decided he would've been better off in bed, which was why he eventually did just that.

Feigning a naïve expression, Gashu inspected his nails. "Just out of curiosity, I mean, you don't have to answer or anything," he started, making sure to use an equally innocent tone. "But what exactly did you guys talk about anyway?"

"What we talked about is none of your business, you _imposter_." Ryou's eyes narrowed onto the double.

Gashu groaned. "That's not going to become a 'thing' is it? How many times do I have to tell you? I'm the real deal!" he pointed to himself in an enthusiastic manner. How was he an imposter anyway, other than not being from this universe?

A snide snort came from Ryou. "I don't care what or who you are. You don't belong here."

"You were perfectly content with sharing lunch with me before," Gashu reminded Ryou, "A guy finds out his best friend technically isn't his best friend and then suddenly develops an attitude. Talk about rude."

"Are you seriously saying these words right now?"

With a curt shrug, Gashu leapt onto his feet. "We're not getting anywhere," he pointed out helpfully. The double hummed, leaning back onto the balls of his feet, as he brainstormed. He spared a quick glance at Ryuku's window, before he shifted his attention back onto Ryou. A suspicious grin lit up Gashu's face; he dropped onto one knee, reaching his hand out to assist his companion. "I think I might know something that _could_ work on getting that weirdo to talk to us."

Smacking the offered hand away, Ryou helped himself up and dusted the dirt off his pants. "Do I really want to know what your idea is?"

"Trust me, you'll like where this is going," without a second thought, Gashu plunged into the koi pond. As quickly as he dived in, the double was out of the water in seconds, now in his cursed form. A childish whine left her lips, as the boy-turned-girl picked at her soaked leather jacket. "Man, I should've taken off my jacket first, it's ruined!" she slicked her bangs back, poking her tongue between her lips. "But, still, nothin' beats a mornin' dip. Don't you agree, Ryota?"

An exasperated groan answered Gashu's quip. "Would you quit calling me that? My name's Ryou!" the lost boy's expression became cautious, when he caught the sly glance Gashu sent in his direction. Forming a guarded stance, Ryou began to back away from the girl. "W-what are you up to?"

"Don't worry, _Ryou_," Gashu drawled out, her voice a lilting purr. "I'll take good care of you, I promise."

All of the blood drained from Ryou's face, he skin as pale as a sheet. "What's that supposed to mean?" he shrieked. "G-Get away from me, you freak! Even if you change into a girl, you're still a guy!"

It wasn't until Ryou's echoing scream, when Ryuku's window slammed open. "What the hell is going on out here?"

Standing on her tiptoes, Gashu peeked over Ryou's shoulder, sending a glare in Ryuku's direction. She brought Ryou closer, ensnaring her arms around him tightly. "What do _you_ want?" she hissed, although her voice was muffled when Ryou pushed her face away. "Can't you see we're having a moment?"

"This isn't a moment!" Ryou vehemently denied.

"Get away from him," Ryuku demanded, he crossed his arms onto the windowsill, then leaned out the window. "I can't believe you're me. You're so disgusting."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Gashu puffed her cheeks, displeased that Ryou succeeded at breaking their embrace. "A lot of guys I know would _love_ being hugged by a cute girl like me!"

From the darkened look on Ryou's face, Gashu decided to keep her distance, for the time being. "I'd rather the cute girl not be someone who looks like my best friend, _thank you very much!_" Ryou squealed.

"Please, don't even pretend you hated that hug. You _loved _it," the double teased, snickering behind her hand. "I bet you'd feel differently if I pressed my –"

The rest of Gashu's sentence was cut off by a sharp: "_Shut up, idiot!_" which was shouted in unison by Ryuku and Ryou.

Gashu rolled her eyes. "You guys are such prudes, all I was going to say was press my _hand_ on your chest."

The double's statement was disregarded, as Ryuku asked his best friend. "What are you doing here, Ryou?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking _you_ that?" Ryou immediately countered. "Why do you keep letting that," he glanced at Gashu, his lips set into a disgusted scowl. "Fake takeover your life?"

"He's not taking over my life," Ryuku scoffed. "I'm just staying home for a bit. I need to get my mind off of things."

Ryou's scowl drooped. "It's already been a week, Ryuku. Don't you think you've missed enough school already?"

"I'll come back, when I come back, Ryou. Trust me," the redhead paused, sending a glare at Gashu, who in turn sent him a cheerful wave. "This won't be forever."

Gashu nearly jumped when Ryou stomped his foot onto the ground. "It might as well be forever! You can't keep locking yourself up in your room!" the lost boy shouted. "You didn't even tell me the reason _why _you don't want to come to school. Whatever it was, I'm sure you'll be able to get over it."

Scowling, Ryuku picked himself off the windowsill. "When I'm ready to 'get over it', I'm sure you'll be the first person to know!" and with that, he slammed his window. The glass was quickly covered with blinds, once again shutting Gashu and Ryou out.

"That went well, don't you think?" Gashu whistled; she plopped her hand onto Ryou's shoulder. "I told you I'd get him to talk to us."

Ryou shrugged her hand off. "Don't touch me."

Gashu held her hands up in a defensive gesture. "Testy, aren't we?" her smile fell to a thoughtful frown, when she hadn't received a response. She clasped her hands behind her back, hopping beside the lost boy to glance up at him. "He really didn't tell you why he's acting like a spoiled child?"

"No, he didn't," Ryou grunted out, turning away from her. "I don't suppose he told you?"

She couldn't stop the sheepish grin from forming on her lips. "Who knows?"

"_Who knows?_" Ryuku's best friend repeated. "Of course you know! Why would he keep information from himself? That just doesn't make sense!"

"We're in the same boat," Gashu told him, in what she assumed was a helpful manner. She wasn't trying to rub anything in. "That guy's way too secretive and, not to mention, overly sensitive about everything," unfortunately, her words did very little to improve Ryou's apparent mood. She hooked her arm with his, bringing him closer towards her and yanked him to her level. "If you want I could tell you the reason."

"No, you better not," Ryou grumbled, once again pushing her away. "If you tell me, he'll probably get even more pissed off."

"Yeah, that might be true, but chances are he'd end up pissed at me and not you. You've got the 'best friend' advantage over me," Gashu reminded the lost boy. She shrugged off her jacket, shaking the droplets of water off the shiny faux material. "It's pretty ridiculous considering I'm, you know, _Ryuku Saotome_."

"Don't tell me the reason."

"Fine, I'll be subtle," she clarified, taking a seat on top of the boulder Ryou threatened to use on the house. "It involves a woman, who he may or may not have feelings for. Now, this woman could've gotten married, who knows? But if she _did_ get married, let's say Red had a chance to go to the wedding and he might've agreed to go."

If Gashu was telling this to Ryota, there was no way _her _best friend would've made the connection, at least not that quickly. Then again, she would've had to reiterate several times, before Ryota finally understood. For Ryou, it didn't take long for him to gawk at her, realization having already kicked in, which was more than welcomed (Gashu hated to repeat herself). "No way," he gaped. "Megumi got… she's _married?_ You're telling me that Ryuku willingly watched the love of his life get married to another man?"

Gashu raised her eyebrow. "That's what I said, wasn't it?"

"Oh god," Ryou groaned, using his good hand to roughly tug at his hair. "I'm such an idiot! Telling him to 'get over himself'! No wonder he got pissed! That's so rich coming from me," a few moments later, his hand flopped to his side. "Why couldn't he just tell me that? Was he scared of how I'd react? Doesn't he trust me? Doesn't he trust his best friend at all?"

"I'd really like to give you an answer," Gashu said slowly, uneasily wrapping her black hair around her index finger. "But you're asking the wrong guy."

"For someone who's an exact copy of Ryuku," out of the corner of his eye, Ryou warily eyed the double. "You two sure are different."

_Now's a good time to change the mood!_ "Isn't that a good thing? Could you image if I was exactly like that moody jerk?" Gashu shuddered from the thought, she vigorously massaged her biceps. "I get goose bumps just thinking about it! The world wouldn't be able to handle it!"

**X**

What an irritating sight.

Sprawled across his futon, Gashu was rested on his back with his arms and legs spread out. The bed sheets proved to be pointless, as they tangled up in Gashu's legs. Perched on top of his double's face was a familiar manga, which Ryuku recollected as missing from his modest collection. The manga served as a shield to slightly muffle Gashu's soft snores. His pigtail had wound around his neck, almost looking like a small coiling red snake. Ryuku's fingers twitched, he fought the urge to reach up to finger where his own pigtail once was – but the gesture was pointless, it was pointless to dwell on the little things. Nonetheless, seeing his doppelganger never brightened his day. He needed to make this quick. A scowl formed on Ryuku's lips from the unappealing snore that erupted from the slumbering body. Gritting his teeth together, he nudged Gashu's side with his foot until the double began to stir.

Gashu plucked the open manga off his face, idly looking over the page he was on, before plopping it on his chest. He blinked several times and then met Ryuku's eyes. "Finally crawled out of your cave?" Gashu greeted; his tone gruff and gravelly. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

After pressing his big toe into Gashu's side, Ryuku stepped away from the futon and stood next to Gashu's dresser. "I've decided."

"Don't wake me up for word games," Gashu groaned, placing his forearm on his forehead. His lips pursed, as he tilted his head to stare at Ryuku. "What'd you decide?"

"You don't have to wear that uniform anymore," Ryuku said. "I'm going back to school. I'm taking my life back."

Gashu's eyes closed, he grinned, and then began to laugh. "That's great to hear!" he cheered, giving Ryuku a short round of applause. "It only took you what? Two weeks to change your mind? I'm so proud of you! They grow up so fast!"

"All I wanted to do was grab my uniform."

"Oh, please do. I won't miss that thing a bit. It's hanging in my dresser," Gashu said, jerking his thumb towards his dresser. "I don't know how you can stand wearing that stupid thing. One of these days, you should seriously consider ditching the uniform. I do it all the time back home. No one cares."

The dresser creaked when Ryuku opened it. Just like his double stated, the hanger holding his uniform was forced into a tiny crack in the old wood. "This is all I came here for," he headed for the door, but came to a halt right when his foot met the floor of the hallway. "There isn't much that can happen in two weeks, right?"

"I don't know about that," Gashu answered. "A lot could happen in two weeks."

Ryuku's hold on the doorknob tightened. _What is this idiot saying?_ He glanced over his shoulder, looking at his double leafing through the manga. "What happened at school?"

Gashu snapped the book closed. "Nothing really," he said, tossing it into the air. "There are only two things really worth mentioning, in my opinion."

_Stop avoiding the question._ "And what would those two things be?"

"You have a new homeroom teacher."

"What?" Ryuku faced away from the doorway. "How could that happen? What happened to –"

"I don't know," was what Gashu quickly interjected, catching the manga and then once again tossing it. "I wasn't listening to the principal when he was explaining the situation in class. I think Ryou was. You could always ask him for the details when you see him tomorrow."

"I can't believe it, they replaced our teacher? How random is that? I don't think there was anything wrong with him," Ryuku shook his head from side to side, lips twisting into a disgruntled frown. "That'll definitely take some getting used to."

"I didn't know you were so attached to the guy."

"I wasn't. It's just he taught at Furinkan for a long time."

"Yeah, well, the new homeroom teacher we got is," the double paused, humming somewhat when he seized the manga and tapped his chin with the book's spine. "Ah, what's the right word to use? Um, _interesting_, I guess?"

"What do you mean?"

"His hair," Gashu lightly tugged at his red locks. "If you thought we stood out, man, he'd definitely stand out in a crowd. His hair's silver," he said, still sounding as if he couldn't believe it himself. "When I caught sight of his eyes, I thought he was wearing contacts. He actually has yellow eyes. It's pretty crazy. I'm surprised the school hired him. The guy looks like a troublemaker. If we lined him up with the rest of the teachers, he wouldn't blend in no matter how hard he tried!" the double's laughter cut off, when he noticed the strained expression Ryuku wore. "What's with that look?"

Ryuku covered the lower half of his face with his palm. "He just, uh, he sounds kind of familiar." _He sounds more than familiar. He couldn't be that guy Megumi saw on the train. There's no way he'd be the same guy._ "I could be thinking of someone else."

"Maybe you've seen him somewhere before?" Gashu suggested. "He's a memorable kind of guy. I mean, even his name is worth remembering." He assumed Ryuku's silence was his cue to carry on. "His name is Hair Gel," he paused, chuckling to himself. "Some wiseass in our class asked if we were supposed to call him Mr. Hair Gel or Mr. Gel. He didn't find it as funny as we did. Then again, he didn't really seem like the type to find anything funny."

Gashu dropped his head onto his pillow. "He was so dull and serious about _everything_," he whined, flailing about slightly to express his annoyance. "Those types of teachers are such buzz kills. I fell asleep about five minutes in of his lesson. He's a total bore!"

"He sounds like an interesting teacher."

"I told you. He's an interesting guy," Gashu proclaimed smugly. "Personality wise, he could use some improvement. When you see him, you should ask him if he came from an Amazon tribe or something. If he is, I bet they kicked him out. He probably ruined the vibe with his boringness."

Ryuku nodded, not truly absorbing his double's words. "I'll be sure to do that," he murmured softly. "What was that other thing?"

"_Oh_."

"What?"

"Now that I think about it, I don't know if it's really worth mentioning."

Ryuku's eyebrows furrowed, confusion marring his features. "Then why bother to bring it up?"

"Because I remembered what else was going on at school."

"Which is what exactly?"

"I guess I could just say it," Gashu mumbled, fumbling with the manga in his hands. "I mean, it's not like you care. I don't care either but –"

"_What is it?"_

"Okay, fine, I'll spit it out," the double gritted out reluctantly. "Do you remember that girl who bothers me?"

_Is he talking about Ayano?_ "What about her?"

"… She has a boyfriend."

**X**

Finding a good spot, he scooped a pile of pebbles with his good hand. Next, he transferred the rubble onto the palm of his bad hand. He started to throw the pebbles at his best friend's window, repeating what he'd done before exactly two weeks ago. However this time he was going to meet different and gratifying results. There weren't going to be any more excuses. When he left the Saotome residence, he wasn't leaving alone. This time around, Ryou Hibiki was going to be successful in dragging his best friend, Ryuku Saotome, to school with him. During those long two weeks, each day was a constant annoying pain in the worst area imaginable. The lost boy almost, no, he did regret how he acted before. If he had known his best friend had been replaced with an imposter, he wouldn't have treated the fake in such a kind manner.

Ryou was a nice person.

There weren't many things that upset him. However, when there was a time when something didn't sit right, he made sure to voice his opinion. Which was the exact reason why Ryou was back at Ryuku's house: to get his best friend out of there. He wasn't spending another day with Gashu. Not today or any day. After Ryou had started on his third pile of pebbles, Ryuku's window finally opened. Ryou dropped the rocks onto the ground, more than prepared to recite his persuasive speech; he'd worked on for the last several days.

"Ryuku, I –"

"Can't you see that people are trying to sleep in here?"

That voice belonged to Ryuku, but unfortunately, it wasn't _his_ best friend's voice. "You're not Ryuku."

"Oh, it's _you_," Gashu replied. "No, I'm not your Ryuku. Everyone knows I'm the better one anyway," he combed his fingers though his disheveled hair. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your best buddy in all of Nerima?"

"I'm trying to drag Ryuku out of the house. I have a feeling I'll change his mind today."

Gashu blinked. "Didn't he tell you?"

Ryou blinked right back at him. "Tell me what?"

"That's weird. I thought he would've told you something," given Ryou's blank look, Gashu simply shrugged. "Guess it can't be helped. He's decided to finally go back to school."

That was good news, but there were too many problems connected to that set of good news. "_What?_"

"Actually, if I remember correctly," Gashu sang cheerfully, he smacked his fist onto his palm, as if he had discovered something astonishing. "I think he told me he was swinging by your house today to pick you up."

"And you decided to tell me this now? How thoughtful of you, imposter." Ryou knew it was ridiculous to blame someone for something Gashu couldn't have foreseen. But he felt like he needed to pin the blame on someone.

Again, Gashu shrugged. "Say what you want. If you hurry, I think you can still catch up to him."

Ryou's laugh was filled with bitterness and venom. "Was that a joke?" he spat. "Was I supposed to laugh at that, since you're so damned hilarious?"

"No laughter was intended," the double said. "I don't see why you're chewing me out. Can't you use your handy dandy GPS?"

"That's right! The new GPS mom gave me!" Ryou removed his schoolbag from his shoulder, flipping the flap open to dig inside his belongings. "It should be in here somewhere," But there was only so much one could fit inside a schoolbag. Aside from notebooks, some workbooks, a calculator and a handmade pouch (from Misaki) carrying small supplies – there wasn't a single thing that could aid the lost boy with his terrible sense of direction. "It _should_ be in here."

"I'm surprised you don't bring your backpack with you," Gashu commented offhandedly. "You never brought it with you during those two weeks. Ryota never left home without that giant thing. His whole life was in that ugly bag."

Ryou pretended Gashu hadn't spoken at all; it was easier to focus that way. "Damn it," he hissed. "I must've left it at home."

"See? What'd I tell ya? That wouldn't have happened if you brought your backpack along," the double clucked his tongue in disapproval. "What a rookie mistake. Ryota would be disappointed along with me."

"Shut up! This is your fault anyway!"

Gashu waved his fist at Ryou, all of his earlier amusement now sapped away. "How the heck is this all of a sudden _my_ fault?" he yelled. "I didn't do anything! This is your fault!"

"The reason I don't bring my backpack with me is because I trust Ryuku enough to walk me to and from school!" Ryou yelled right back at his fake best friend. "When _you_ were at school, I brought my GPS because I couldn't trust you. I must've left it at home, thinking I'd drag him out for sure."

"All I'm saying was that you should've been more prepared! That doesn't make this automatically my fault."

"Just shut up already! Can you be quiet for a few seconds? Is that even possible for you?"

Gashu scoffed, he crossed his arms over his chest. "If that's all you need, I'm heading back to bed."

"No way, you're not going anywhere."

"And who decided this?"

"Since Ryuku's not here, _you're_ taking me to Furinkan!"

"Why should I?" Gashu asked. "I don't have to do anything."

"It's not like you have anything better to do. Weren't you sleeping just now?"

"That's it exactly! Your selfish request is cutting into my precious sleeping time," Gashu stated firmly, he blew his hair out of his face. "Thanks to your best friend, I haven't been able to catch up on any of my sleep."

"This is coming from the guy who's been napping during class."

"I'm not helping you. They're too many complications involved, _way_ too many complications."

"What kind of complications?" Ryou questioned snappily. "They better be realistic complications, or I'll throw a _tree _this time!"

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Of course, they're realistic reasons! We can't have two Ryukus running around!"

"That's the problem?" the lost boy snorted, clearly unimpressed with the double's reasoning. "That's an easy fix. All you need is a bucket of cold water."

"I'm not going to change into a girl. That's too much work. I'll have to dump freezing cold water over myself. After that, I'll have to dry myself off, then as if there weren't enough things to deal with – find the perfect outfit to wear and then –"

"I'm sorry. For a second, I thought I was speaking to a guy," Ryou interrupted irritably. _Why does this guy look like my best friend?_ "Is there a Ryuku Saotome home right now, ma'am?"

"Are you sure I'm the one that's supposed to be funny?" Gashu asked, sarcasm heavily dripping in his voice. "Taking a stab at my masculinity isn't going to make me want to help you," as he afterthought, Gashu promptly added. "You funny piece of, ahem, _pork._"

"Talking to you isn't going to get me anywhere anytime soon!"

"Damn right, it's not! I'm done talking. I'm going back to sleep. Good luck with your travels, Ryota. I wish you well." and with that being said, Gashu closed Ryuku's bedroom window, uncannily mimicking what his double had done two weeks ago.

Ryou snapped his mouth shut, his anger reaching an unbearable boiling point. "Hey! I wasn't done talking to you, you… you asshole!" he whipped his head around him, looking for something suitable to throw without causing any serious damage.

**X**

"Hello? Is anybody home?" Ryuku knocked onto the front door. He took three steps back on the pouch, warily skimming over the Hibiki house. Moving to the right, he stood in front of the window, cupping his hands next to his eyes to peer through the darkness inside. It didn't look like anyone was home. It didn't even look like anything was _living_ inside. "Guess he's not home."

He jammed his hands into his pockets, stepping down the porch steps and checked behind him once last time. "He really wanted me to go to school, too," he huffed. "Maybe he just left without me." Shaking his head, he faced forward and began to leave. But when he heard the door suddenly open, Ryuku was quick to turn back around to greet his friend. "Ryou," When his eyes connected with a pair of nearly black eyes, Ryuku's lips curled into a disgusted scowl. Exiting the house was Ryou's little brother. "Great. The last person I wanted to see."

"What? Are you not happy to see me, moron?" Takumi sneered, wearing a cruel smirk. He shut the door behind him, moving forward to hop down the steps. The middle schooler stood before Ryuku, boldly glaring up at the older boy. "He's not here. Don't bother asking me where he went."

"Don't worry. I wasn't planning on it."

"Then get off my property, _please_."

Ryuku's scowl deepened, he tightened his hold onto the strap of his schoolbag and began to trudge forward. He should've known Ryou wouldn't have waited for him. Why would he? He had no idea Ryuku changed his mind about going to school. There were always slim chances his best friend had his phone on him, which was why he hadn't bothered to send him a simple text message, or give him a call. The plan was to surprise his friend, to walk to school together for the first time in several weeks. But the plan was shattered, stepped on and dragged in dirt. It didn't help matters any with Takumi trailing behind him. The younger Hibiki wasn't following willingly, of course, they just happened to be traveling in the same direction to get to school.

"You know," Takumi drawled nonchalantly. "I never had a chance to ask you about that whole mirror incident."

"Stop talking like we're friends," was what Ryuku would've spat, but the mirror episode tended to constantly bring up bad memories. He grimaced. The flashback of his hands, his separation's hands, encircling Takumi's neck clouded his mind. _Shit. I nearly killed him with my own hands._

"Thanks to _you_, I have to keep these stupid bandages on for," the middle schooler paused, hissing an annoyed grunt. "I didn't bother to listen to the doctor explain. All I know is that it'll be forever, until I'm allowed to do anything. My training schedule is fucked up."

"Yeah, well, you deserved it."

"Yeah, well, I guess I shouldn't really be blaming you," Takumi spat. "After all, I wasn't really fighting you. Of course, it wasn't you. If it was, you would've been back in the hospital, wishing you could strangle me yourself."

"Say what you want, brat," Ryuku snarled, already regretting the guilt set in his mind. "All I'm going to say is this: you come near my cousin again and I'll make sure you regret it."

A terrified whimper was heard behind him, although the terror was simulated, mocking. There was a cackle. "Sounds like an empty threat!" Takumi boasted. "What the hell can you do to me? Well, you could always be my practice dummy."

Ryuku's casual strides came to a gradual stop. He turned towards Takumi, giving him the coldest glare he could muster. "I'm being serious."

Takumi's smirk fell to a thin line; he glanced off at something to the side, an ashamed expression washed over his face. The middle schooler actually looked guilty. How unusual. "I haven't talked to her since," he exhaled loudly. "I'm keeping your end of the deal."

Ryuku paused, staring at the boy quizzically. "But I lost."

"There's no point to hold my end, not when she," Takumi brushed past Ryuku. "Anyway, I better get to school. Unlike my idiot older brother, I actually know how to get there."

Ryuku fell into step behind Takumi. "You're a real asshole, you know."

"Those are tough words coming from a weakling."

"I don't care. You're going to listen to me, because someone has to make you hear this. Not only did you terrorize Misaki, but Ryou might not be able to –"

"Spare me the lecture, please. I hear enough of that useless crap at school and from home," Takumi sharply said, snorting. "If you learn how to actually fight, I might consider listening to you. But we both know that'll never happen. Anyway, I better go. There's only so much of you I can handle in a day, until next time, moron. Hopefully, there won't be a next time though." With a mocking parting wave, the middle schooler broke off into a sprint and went down the streets.

**X**

Rushing into his homeroom class, Ryuku's eyes immediately locked onto the teacher's desk. The perfect excuse for his tardiness almost left his mouth, until he noticed – to his surprise – that the desk was unoccupied. Ryuku stood in the doorway, blankly skimming the classroom. It looked like he wasn't the only one running late, since it appeared the teacher hadn't arrived yet. With a relieved sigh, Ryuku made his way over to his desk, where he slipped into his seat comfortably. He dropped his schoolbag onto the tiled flooring, stretching his legs out before him. His eyes searched the vicinity of the classroom. There were plenty of familiar faces, some which trailed all the way back to preschool or elementary school. Yet despite being back at school, seeing everyone again, being _willingly _thrust back in a familiar environment – Ryuku realized he hadn't missed anyone at all.

For the last two weeks (and even more, including the days he spent in Itabashi), the rumors, the feverous whispers spoken when his back was turned, the stares, the looks of pure terror – he had been away from it all. When he was out of Nerima, staying in Itabashi, no one at school had plagued his mind. There wasn't anyone he missed at Furinkan High School. No teachers, no subjects, no "friends". He hadn't missed anyone.

"… _She has a boyfriend now."_

Ryuku's jaw clenched when Gashu's words invaded his mind. _Who would be crazy enough to date her?_ He shook his head, ridding the nagging thoughts away. _Why am I thinking about her? _In an attempt to distract himself, he focused on the clock. Class had approximately started six minutes ago, but there was no new homeroom teacher in sight.

Suddenly, there were the sounds of footsteps coming from outside the classroom. Ryuku shifted his attention from the clock onto the doorway. Within a matter of seconds, the teacher leisurely strolled inside. The teacher's appearance was exactly how Gashu had described him. His hair was a striking shade of silver, which was neatly combed exactly as how a professional would tidy their hair – out of his face to show his face to his students. He was dressed in an impeccable pinstriped three pieced suit. It was a suit one would wear at a fancy gathering rather than at a regular high school. Furinkan wasn't some famous university or private school.

Ryuku propped his elbow on his desk, plopping his chin onto his palm. He leaned forward, further studying the homeroom teacher. _He can't be the same guy Megumi was talking about. _Again, he attentively focused on the teacher's hair. There weren't many people in Nerima who had those certain physical traits attached to their person. _His eyes aren't really yellow are they?_

"I apologize for my tardiness," the teacher spoke, his voice a deep timbre. Despite his words, he didn't seem very apologetic to his class. "It seems I haven't scheduled my time wisely. It won't happen again in the future."

In the teacher's right hand, he held a thin black leather briefcase. Gingerly, he placed the case on his desk. He took his time, handling the case in a gentle yet protective manner, as if he was holding the most precious thing the world had to offer. After that, the teacher scanned his classroom. Slowly, he reached inside his suit to take out a small glasses case, which he opened to slip on a simple pair of reading glasses.

"It looks like everyone is here and accounted for," he mused lowly, nodding his head somewhat. "This is good."

The last thing Ryuku expected was to meet his teacher's eyes. He stiffened in his seat, unsure of what to do. Teachers he had in the past never looked him in the eye, if they accidently made eye contact with him it was always the teacher who looked away. Like Ryuku expected, the teacher was the first one to avoid further eye contact. However, unlike Ryuku's past teachers, the teacher wasn't flustered. In fact, he barely reacted. The older man cupped his chin, before he faced the whiteboard and picked up a marker. Using precise strokes of the black marker, he wrote a lengthy inquiry across the surface of the board. Once he finished, he capped the marker and refaced his class.

"A quick quiz should make up for my lateness," he informed his class flatly, rolling his sleeve to glance over his wristwatch. "Everyone had six minutes before I arrived, which should've plenty of time for studying."

There was a chorus of groans; followed by complaints breezing throughout the room. Everyone fetched out a clean sheet of paper, along with a pencil and eraser. Automatically, Ryuku's eyes flew to where his best friend was normally seated. At this point, Ryou would've already been halfway finished with his work. Usually, the lost boy was the first person or one of the first few done. However, seeing Ryou's chair empty made Ryuku perturbed. He hoped his friend wasn't too far out of Nerima.

_Now's not the time to worry about Ryou,_ Ryuku reminded himself. He had a quiz to work on. Scratching his scalp, Ryuku scribbled down a few more words and set down his pencil. Now was the time to wait for the rest of the class. Generally, Ryuku finished last even when he'd finish a long time ago.

The reason for this was ridiculous, but it was what Ryuku had been accustomed to do. There was an incident where he was blamed for ruining someone's test score. Apparently, their horrible grade was caused when Ryuku crossed the classroom to turn in his test. By turning in his work, he had caused a fellow tester to become distracted which was the cause of their failed grade. Ryuku thought it was a far stretch from the truth, but the teacher agreed to give the student a passing grade. From there, the idea caught on like a rapidly spreading virus and Ryuku was further blamed for his classmate's test scores. It was better to wait. No one could blame him if _he_ was the last person finished.

Ryuku waited and waited, until it was _his_ turn to hand in his paper. He placed his paper on top of the quiz pile. The teacher, who had been seated, picked up the stack and began to straighten it. As Ryuku returned to his seat, he stopped when he heard his name being called. "Mr. Saotome," Ryuku looked over his shoulder, blinking at the slight smirk on the teacher's lips. "I'm glad you finally decided to join us."

Everyone in the classroom exchanged curious glances. It wasn't long before whispers began to fill the room. With a curt nod, Ryuku sat himself back down. The teacher shushed his class, as he began to discuss the question with his students. Meanwhile, Ryuku wasn't listening; he had been too busy trying to figure out what the teacher had meant by his statement.

_Wasn't Gashu here the whole time? _

As time dragged on, Ryuku discovered another truth to Gashu's explanation of their new homeroom teacher. His lessons certainly weren't packed with interesting information. He found himself growing tired. Ryuku blinked drowsily, staring blankly at what was written on the whiteboard. He was at a complete loss of the teacher's lecture, of what the material was possibly linked to. _I could sleep for a few minutes. It's not like I'd miss anything too important._

It was a win-win situation.

However, when Ryuku was shaken awake, he was startled to discover that those few minutes had extended longer than he'd planned. The entire lesson was over. Ryuku scrubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms. Whenever he had fallen asleep during class, it was always Ryou who woke him afterwards. When it came time for lunch, the break was spent with Ryou filling in whatever Ryuku had fallen asleep through, gradually catching the redhead up with the rest of the class. He was relieved that his best friend somehow managed to find his way to school.

Ryuku cocked his head back, but instead of finding a friendly fanged grin and twinkling brown eyes, his eyes met a pair of narrow golden eyes. He wasn't sure what emotions were in those eyes.

"Saotome," his teacher regarded him with a slight nod. He either was ignoring the stares from the rest of the class or hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep, I just –"

"I'd like to speak with you afterschool."

"But I –"

"I look forward to meeting you. Enjoy your next class."

**X**

Under her breath, Misaki softly hummed an upbeat tune to herself. She knew the words all the too well but she wasn't planning on singing. Humming proved to be an excellent way to drown out the noise surrounding her. Clutching at her pencil, she hunched forward, focusing intently on her notebook. The current page set before her was covered with haphazard scribbles. But when her pencil was snatched out of her hand, Misaki grasped at the air, her hand movements halted. She pressed her palm onto her drawings.

Her pink mechanical pencil was dangled in front of her face. "Aren't you going to say anything?" a voice teased. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

A burst of laughter was tacked along with every question throw at her. But the laughter wouldn't last long. It never did. The grins on their faces would disappear. Their momentary happiness would be replaced with unbridled terror. Her cousin didn't know the extent of how long everything lasted. The rumors regarding Bloody Knife Saotome flew around school campuses. At Chuushinten Middle School, her cousin wasn't viewed in a different light. Middle schoolers weren't any better than high school kids; perhaps they were even a little worse. In middle school, no one was considered an adult yet. Things weren't taken as seriously, unless it was time for high school exams. But everyone in Misaki's class had another year after this one; it wasn't time for anything serious yet. Little kids who were on their way to becoming adults could get any with just about anything. They still had precious time.

Only a select few at school was aware of Misaki's relation with Ryuku. Off the top of her head, Misaki could count five people – the majority of them were on the staff. The only student at school who knew was Takumi.

It was a whole different story with Takumi Hibiki. All the stories regarding her cousin were nowhere near the truth, (Misaki knew her cousin better than anyone. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He was her protector, her guardian, her knight in shining armor) the stories about Takumi were all true, on the other hand. Takumi's reputation didn't exceed as far as Ryuku's, but he was still a growing boy. He had plenty of time to make a name for himself. Back in grade school, Takumi was widely known for his unexpected bouts of fury fueled violence. Desks or tables would be thrown across the room. Glass would be shattered. Either someone would end up hurt or something ended up broken.

There wasn't a specific set name for Takumi. Most of them were either ridiculous sounding or just plain stupid. But even if there wasn't anything to call Takumi, everyone was afraid of the middle schooler. No one dared show happiness when he was in the area. No one dared smile or laugh when he strolled by. The last person who accidently caused a trigger inside Takumi to snap ended up being taken to the hospital. No one exactly knew what made Takumi angry, which was why everyone walked on eggshells whenever he was near. No one _wanted_ to know the cause, because who knew what the consequence could be?

"Come on," Misaki's pencil flicked her chin. "Don't you want your pencil back? Those doodles aren't going to finish themselves."

Just like Misaki predicted, all the laughter was cut like a plug. A blanket of silence covered the room, smothering everyone's faces and pressing on everyone's throats. The liveliness barely contained within the four floors was sapped away in an instant. The group of girls who circled Misaki's desk had all lost their smiles. They knew better. But the one, who held Misaki's pencil, the leader and the most popular girl in their class, hadn't ceased her teasing.

"_Sakurako,"_ the girl behind the leader hissed between her teeth. She relentlessly tugged at the back of her uniform. "I think we should stop. _He's _here!"

Misaki glanced over to the door. Takumi stood in the doorway, his eyes shamelessly locked with hers. He wore an unreadable expression, before he lowered his head and headed for his desk. His belongings landed onto the floor with a dull thump, as he sank in his seat and faced the window next to him.

The first person to break the tense silence was the leader, Miss Popular: Sakurako Sugiyama. The girls longed to be a part of her group, to be as pretty as her. The boys adored her, throwing countless gifts and confessions her way. But she paid little notice to such lavish attention. "Are you sad that even Hibiki doesn't pay attention to you anymore?" she sneered coldly. "Guess he got tired of the cold treatment."

Someone in Sakurako's posse seemed to have gathered some hidden courage. She was bold enough to snatch one of Misaki's pigtails, yanking hard. "Why don't you talk? It's so creepy! Are we not good enough for you, Miss Ono?"

Sakurako cackled, sounding like a rotten witch rather than a sweetheart everyone loved. "We're not! No one's good enough for Miss Mute Ono."

The girl yanked Misaki's pigtail harder. Misaki pinched her eyes shut, forcing her tears at bay. She wouldn't shed a tear. She wouldn't waste a single tear for anyone in that classroom. Sakurako's giggles turned into loud cruel laughter. "I don't think I've ever heard her talk," she giggled. "Do you think her voice is too ugly? Is that why you don't talk?"

"_Hey!_" Takumi hollered from the back of the classroom. "Ugly bitch! Would you shut up? Your voice is irritating."

"W-who're you calling ugly?" Sakurako asked, despite the smirk on her lips, it was obvious it was strained. Even her words weren't boosted with her typical smugness. "If you don't want me to bother her, why don't you get up and _do_ something?"

Takumi glanced at Misaki; he was horrible at composing himself. Letting out an indignant huff, he announced. "Shut up, ugly. I'm tired." He lowered himself over his desk, slipping into a position one would use for napping.

Misaki could see his hands form into tight fists. All he had were his words now. He hadn't laid a finger on anyone. Not since his hands were wrapped in bandages. Would this change when Takumi finally had them removed? All she knew, all she truly cared about, was that he quit bothering her. The bullying hadn't stopped for years. But she could handle the bullying. As long as she had Ryuku by her side, she could handle anything that fell in her way – even the boy with the monster strength.

With a scoff, Sakurako threw the pencil at Misaki. It landed on her lap. "I don't know why everyone's so scared of him," she tossed her long dark brown hair over her shoulder. "He's nothing. You'd think with all that talk, he'd be as big as Bloody Knife Saotome. He couldn't hurt anyone. Come on, girls, I'm bored with Miss Mute." Her loyal posse followed after their gracious leader, they each went back to their seats, where they huddled closely together, whispering and giggling.

After throwing Sakurako a glare, _never talk about Ryuku_, she flipped to a new page in her notebook. She picked her pencil up from her lap and quickly launched into a new session of drawing. Sakurako lived in a perfect world of her own. In her world, there was nothing wrong. She turned her nose away from the kids not worthy of her time. They were allowed to gawk, to gaze upon such beauty but they could never touch. Sakurako had traveled far into her world, reaching the peak where she missed a large majority of what happened at Chuushinten Middle School. Miss Popular stayed out of trouble, but by doing so she missed trouble and inevitably knew only rumors surrounding Takumi. For now, Sakurako would be able to speak confidently. She would be able to laugh and point her finger at Takumi, mocking the middle schooler, the overrated fear he carried with him.

If she had seen the things Takumi had done, their conversation would have happened differently. Miss Popular wouldn't be smiling and laughing now. She'd be just like everyone else. Misaki stabbed at her sheet of paper, furiously ripping the sheet out and crumpling it into a ball.

Miss Popular, Sakurako Sugiyama, wasn't there when Takumi had bashed someone's nose in.

**X**

Teachers never wanted to speak with him after school.

It was on a whim, he had headed straight for the boy's bathroom when the last bell rang, too accustomed by his usual schedule: quickly change, get ready in the bathroom and then head for work. Luckily, he hadn't changed by the time he realized his teacher had asked to meet with him. A wave of anxiety washed over his body, as he approached closer to his homeroom class. Once he arrived at the doorway, he saw the teacher – _Hair Gel, his name is Hair Gel,_ he corrected himself – staring outside the window closest to his desk. Ryuku would've greeted him, to state his presence, but the papers scattered sporadically over his desk caught his attention. Sheets of paper even adorned the floor.

Ryuku set his duffle bag down, bending down to gather the papers. Curiosity overwhelmed him; he couldn't help but look over a sheet. The paper appeared to be some sort of documentation. Upon closer examination of the papers he held, he noticed none of the ink printed on the sheets were school related at all. Some of what was presented was even in different languages. There were photos, all in black and white, heavily distorted and puzzling.

"Please, excuse the mess," Hair Gel suddenly spoke, his shoes lightly clicked on the ties as he met Ryuku at his desk. He tidied his workspace, placing some papers into folders and then gently setting them inside his briefcase. The teacher extended his hand out to Ryuku. "Would you mind returning my papers?"

Nodding, Ryuku handed him the stack in his hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"It's alright, Saotome" he assured his student. Hair Gel gestured to a desk, still holding papers. "Won't you take a seat? I have many things I wish to discuss with you."

_That doesn't sound good_. "I can't stay," Ryuku blurted out. The blank expression on Hair Gel's face was a tad jarring. "I-I just remembered that I have some things to do after all. If I don't leave soon, I'm going to be late. I guess it'd be better if we did this another time?"

"How thoughtless of me," Hair Gel muttered. "I should've considered your schedule, before I arranged this discussion. I hope I didn't inconvenience you."

"No, no! It's alright! You weren't an inconvenience!" he told the other man. "I'll see you tomorrow, mister… um, mister…"

The light chuckle from the older man startled Ryuku. "My name is rather strange, isn't it?"

"I don't think it's that strange," Ryuku said, chuckling uneasily. Teachers never spoke to him like this, as if he were a normal student. It was strange. "I know a few crazier ones." _Like Lotion, for one. Let's not even mention my boss's name._

"That's true," Hair Gel agreed absently. He placed his papers into his briefcase. When he looked up from his briefcase, Ryuku noticed he was holding a magazine; Hair Gel seemed surprised that he was still in the classroom. "Shouldn't you be leaving, Saotome? You seemed like you were in a hurry."

_He's right! I have to get to work._ "I _am_ in a hurry! Bye!" without a second thought, Ryuku dashed out of the classroom.

As he reached the end of the corridor, he made a sharp turn and immediately came to a complete stop. He peered around the corner, looking towards his homeroom class. "What the hell did that idiot do while I was gone?" he groaned, lightly smacking his forehead. He leaned his back onto the wall, slightly sinking down. "That teacher's a weirdo. What the heck did he mean by that earlier comment? 'I'm glad you finally decided to join us'? Gashu better have a good explanation for that."

From a distance, Ryuku heard footsteps coming accompanied by familiar voices and giggles. _Now's not the time to get distracted. I have to get to work. Who knows about kind of damage _he_ did at the Cat Café?_ Ryuku pushed him off the wall, adjusting his schoolbag on his shoulders, and proceeded to stroll down the hallway at a brisk pace. Further down the hall, Ryuku could see two classmates walking together. He quickly recognized the pair. It was that girl, Ayano, and her supposed friend, Togo. Ryuku wasn't sure if the two were truly a couple. The majority of the rumors circulating around Furinkan were utter bullshit. Since when was a boy and a girl, who apparently spent the most of their time together, automatically assumed to be boyfriend and girlfriend? If that was the case, everyone might as well be labeling Ryuku and Lotion as a couple. Even joking about the thought of being in a relationship with that Amazon sent chills down Ryuku's spine.

But Ryuku's doubts vanished when Togo yawned; the taller male stretched his arms out, and then slung his arm around Ayano's shoulders, bringing her close to his side. Ayano was clearly flustered by her male companion's attention. Togo inclined downwards, whispering something into Ayano's ear; sharing a private conversation between the two. Ayano's cheeks colored a dark shade of scarlet. She gave Togo, her _boyfriend_, a shaky smile. The girl looked like she was going to collapse at any second. The sight was disgusting. Ryuku couldn't stand to see wherever the couple was planning to do next. He spun on his heels, sprinting down the hallway. A fury of unexplainable rage bubbled up side him, clouding his vision and his thoughts. His eyes were playing tricks on him. He must've been trapped in another illusion.

Too overwhelmed by his building emotions, Ryuku nearly collided into an unsuspecting bystander. Fortunately, unlike his double, Ryuku was able to prevent a nasty collision from occurring. His hair fell into his face, as he bowed his head. A half jumbled apology left Ryuku's lips.

"You really shouldn't be running in the hallway, Saotome. Someone could get hurt."

Ryuku's head tilted back, startled to discover he nearly crashed into his homeroom teacher. Suddenly, his duffle bag was thrust into his arms. "You forgot your bag."

_I forgot my bag? _"Thank you."

"You left so fast I couldn't return it to you."

"I wasn't thinking straight. I'm so sorry, mister," Ryuku sighed. "I'm sorry. I just have no idea how you want to be addressed."

Hair Gel's lips twitched into a tiny smile. "I respond to either Mr. Hair Gel or Mr. Gel," he said. "Tell me, Saotome, do I seem like a Hair Gel to you?"

Ryuku blinked, uncertain of what his teacher meant. "What do you mean? That's what your parents named you, isn't it?"

In response, Hair Gel was silent for several seconds. His eyes gazed upwards, his expression calculating, until finally the teacher shrugged. "I suppose my parents had a strange sense of humor," he commented. "Anyway, I didn't mean to hold you up again. I assume you came back for your bag, which I returned. I'll see you tomorrow, Saotome. Hopefully, tomorrow's lesson will catch your attention."

"Uh, yeah, I didn't mean to –"

"No need for excuses," Hair Gel said calmly. "We all fall asleep."

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Hair Gel."

Ryuku raced down the hall, he'd have to change at the restaurant. At this rate, Ryuku wouldn't doubt that his boss was already keeping track of how many minutes late he was going to be for his shift.

**X**

Typically, the students who remained afterschool stayed for club activates. Back in his own world, there were countless times when a club representative approached Gashu, asking (sometimes even begging) the double to join their respective club. All sorts of clubs spread their offer to him, but every time the offer was thrown his way, Gashu politely declined. Sometimes, when "no" was not an acceptable answer, clubs would use tasteless tactics to lure the martial artist. Sending a cute girl or handing out tickets for a free meal – they knew how to attract Gashu's attention but they weren't able to keep it. There were a select few clubs Gashu considered joining, such as the martial arts club. Unfortunately, more than half of the population at Furinkan High School proved to be no match for him. If he joined the club, it wouldn't be long before Gashu was selected as the club's president. Gashu didn't want to deal with that sort of responsibility. Besides, he already had plenty of things to deal with at home. There just wasn't any time for extracurricular activities, especially when he was the sole heir for the Saotome dojo.

Currently, the two had just arrived at Furinkan, from where she stood on the fence; Gashu could see the soccer team practicing on the field. She turned to face her traveling companion, who was lagging a great distance behind her. "Are you happy?" she asked, leaping off the fence when Ryou had caught up. "You're at school now."

Ryou shot her a glare. "Why would I be happy?" he snapped. "It took me more than five hours to drag you out of bed. By the time we finally left, there was only an hour and a half left of the school day. Now that we're finally here, school's already done. I might as well have stayed home!"

"Don't get mad at me," Gashu hissed, jabbing her finger on Ryou's chest. "You were the one who wanted to go so badly."

"_You_ were the one who decided to sleep the whole day."

Gashu placed her hands on her hips. "Wrong! You couldn't be any more wrong! I would've slept the whole day, but someone wouldn't quit making noise outside!"

"I had to make noise! You weren't helping me!"

"You should've asked someone else for help then, you ungrateful jerk!" Gashu screeched at the top of her lungs. "I didn't have to help you. I could've just ignored you."

Ryou's face darkened, he lowered his gaze to better target his glare. "You should've ignored me then," he spat harshly. "I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see your face! I don't even want to hear your stupid voice! I'm sick of you!"

"Well, right back at you! Ryota's way, _way_ more fun than you'll ever be!" the double went on, hopping up and down on her feet, acting like a child having a fit. "At least, he knows how to have fun, you dumb nerd!"

Ryou opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut a second later. He shook his head, brushing past Gashu and made a beeline for the school gates. Gashu's eyes trailed after him, she would've bit her lip and turned the other cheek, but she couldn't stay quiet. She cupped her hands around her mouth, bellowing. "I'm not bringing your ungrateful ass home, so don't even think of asking me!"

As a suitable answer, the lost boy dismissed her exclamation with a small gesture. Apparently, he was too polite to flip anyone off, unlike his counterpart, who was known to be a rude asshole every now and then.

"Idiot! Dummy! Bozo! Numbskull! What a _jerk!_" Gashu called out, her shoulders heaved and she crossed her arms under her breasts. She must've looked like a scorned girlfriend to an innocent bystander. "Man, to think I could relate to a guy like that. He's a typical book nerd, too boring and no fun at all," But she still followed after his retreating figure. The argument certainly had her blood pumping. She had every right to be angry, yet she felt a _teensy_ bit guilty for playing a large part of the lost boy's frustration.

Gashu groaned, swiping her hair out of her face. "This is Red's fault," she concluded. "It can't be helped. I've gotta follow him."

She waited for a reasonable amount of time, before allowing herself to tail after him (she maintained a healthy distance; it was easier to avoid another argument that way). The least she could do was make sure he found his way around Furinkan. But her plans fell short, when somehow Ryou disappeared from her sights. Gashu blinked, searching every which way for signs of him. _How the heck could that happen? _There was another thing Ryou had in common with Ryota. The Hibikis always found some unexplainable way to pull a disappearing act.

"Ryoko?" Gashu's posture straightened, she peeled herself off the school building and turned to see Ayano. It was odd, seeing the girl without her boyfriend at her side. "I couldn't wait to see you again. Two weeks really fly by don't they?" a shy smile graced her pink lips. "What brings you to Furinkan?"

Gashu fidgeted in her spot. She hadn't expected to see Ayano again. Honestly, she hadn't expected Ayano to _speak_ to her again. "Oh, I'm just –"

"Do I have to ask?" Ayano joked, giggling somewhat. "You were probably looking for your brother again."

Gashu blinked. "My brother…?"

"I wish I could help you. But I don't think I've seen Ryuku at all today," Ayano murmured lowly. "To be honest, I've been trying my hardest to avoid him lately. I know, he's your brother, but I-I can't _talk_ to him like I can with you. It's hard to believe you two are related."

"Oh, right, my _brother_," Gashu said, nodding. She waved Ayano's comments away dismissively. "I can't believe we're related either. Sometimes I feel like my family adopted him."

Ayano's smile slightly widened, but she refrained from laughing. Perhaps she thought it wasn't appropriate. "I'm sure you'll find him," she asserted the double. Suddenly, an awkward silence formed between the two girls. Ayano cleared her throat, a quiet uneasy laugh left her lips. "How are you, Ryoko? You haven't responded to any of my texts lately. I don't mean to be a bother. It's just; we're friends, aren't we? I hope we still are and I –"

"Of course, we're friends."

Ayano's smile turned into a relieved one. "I'm really glad to hear that," she happily replied. "I really needed to talk to you about something. I wasn't sure who else to talk to."

Gashu cocked her head, bewilderment washing over her face. "Couldn't you have asked your boyfriend for help?"

"It was about Togo," Ayano said. "But I already made my decision."

"I'm here now. I could still help if you want."

When Ayano's smile widened to a lovely curve, it lit up her entire face. Gashu's heart fluttered. _Wow, what a killer smile. _"That would've been nice to hear a few weeks ago but it's alright. It was the first time I've ever been asked out," she bowed her head forward, shielding her flushed cheeks with her hair. "I couldn't ask my dad or my sister… no, she doesn't like to hear about those kinds of things. I wanted to know what you thought, but I understand why you didn't contact me. You were busy. It was better that I made the decision myself."

Gashu scratched her cheek. "Can I see the number I gave you?"

"Of course," Ayano dug inside her schoolbag for her phone. It was pink and had tiny purple jewels in the shape of a heart on the front. There was a phone charm, which dangled slightly, when she opened the handheld device. She showed the screen to the double, a number listed for Ryoko filled up the display. "Here's the number you gave me."

The double clucked her tongue. "No wonder I wasn't receiving your texts!" she announced dramatically. Her fingertips wiped as her eyes, while she sniffled. "Something happened at work and my phone ended up breaking. Oh, I feel so terrible not responding to you! I'm such a horrible friend. I-I have a new number now, let me give you it."

"Don't say that Ryoko! You're a wonderful friend!" Ayano said, waiting for Gashu to take her phone. "Do you want a hug?"

"Do you think I deserve one?"

"You do! Of course you do!" the girl cried, immediately pulling Gashu into a hug. "That makes sense. I sent you so many texts. I should've known your phone broke."

Gashu's nose wrinkled when Ayano's long hair tickled her nose. She smelt like some sort of fancy fruit. It wasn't as pleasant of smell as Lotion's but that didn't mean it was a bad smell. "There you go," she stepped back from the hug, after having deleting the old number and replacing with it her own. "Anytime you need me, just send me a text. I'll be there for you."

"Thank you so much, Ryoko. You're such a great friend."

**X**

Apparently, the supposed twins had the same idea when Ryuku ran into his doppelganger in the hallway of their home. The two shared a heated glare, each one seizing the other with a nasty scowl. It was quite a rare sight to see Gashu manning a serious expression for once. Normally, the double was all fun and games – it seemed like it was nearly impossible for anything to keep Gashu upset for very long. Ryuku already lost count of how many arguments the two had, where it ended with yelling matches and sworn promises of no longer speaking to the other. But the double was quick to forgive and forget. Ryuku was capable of being forgiving, but Gashu was _too_ forgiving. It was a trait that could be positive, but it could also be considered a flaw in certain cases. Whatever was ruffling up Gashu's feathers this time meant it was another argument heading his way and another thing to "forgive and forget". But this time, it looked like the double was going to leave the talking to Ryuku. Gashu fell back against the wall behind him, simply shoving his hands into the pocket of his cargo pants, placing his foot onto the wall.

Ryuku had his own reason for his troubling mood. What made Gashu mad this time? There probably was no real reason for his agitation, unlike Ryuku, who had every right to be angry. Gashu had been masquerading around, taking temporary control of _his _life. Anything Gashu did wrong, Ryuku did wrong. "The new homeroom teacher said some pretty strange things to me today," Ryuku began. "You didn't do anything stupid at school like, I don't know, skip classes?"

The double snorted "It looks like you've done some pretty dumb things yourself, you damn hypocrite."

"What are you talking about?" Where did he get off calling _him_ a hypocrite?

"So, now you're a hypocrite and a liar. What a lovely combination."

"What are you talking about?" Ryuku repeated; growing greatly annoyed at his double's uncalled for attitude. "Don't accuse me of things, if you're not going to say anything. Besides, that's rich coming from a guy like you."

Gashu laughed, but his laughter was void of any humor. "That may be true, but at least I'm able to _admit_ that," he said. "You're lying to that Ayano chick."

"What? I'm not lying to her."

"Fine, you can keep playing dumb," Gashu stated, pushing his body off the wall to stand in front of Ryuku. "How about you tell me who Ryoko is and what she means to Ayano? Since the two of them are friends, I think she has the right to know. And another thing, Ayano was wondering why Ryoko hasn't responded to any of her texts, or you know, called I guess. Should I have just told her that her friend doesn't exist? Or that some prick like you is lying right to her face?"

Ryuku shoved the double back a few steps. "Don't compare me to you! I'm not doing _anything_ like you do with your curse."

"You're not any better than me," Gashu said, moving forward to shove Ryuku in return. There was enough force in his push, which caused Ryuku to lose his balance. The double gazed down at him, wearing his exact face and exact expression. "You're using her for something."

"No, I'm not!" Ryuku screamed, kicking Gashu's legs out from under him. "She's just a stupid girl who thinks that –"

Ryuku's kick barely hindered Gashu's stance, the double fell to his knees, snatching Ryuku's shirt and forcing him to meet his gaze. "You can say whatever you want, Ryuku, because I've decided something. I don't care what you tell me or what excuses you have. I'm not going to listen to you this time."

Ryuku pried Gashu's hands off of him. "You better not be doing anything dumb."

"I'm not going to be doing anything dumb. I'm going to be Ayano's friend."


	29. Ch 22: Blind to the Truth: P1

**Chapter 22:** Blind to the Truth: Part 1

Ryuku couldn't believe what he'd heard. It couldn't be true. Gashu had just declared he was going to become friends with Ayano. Ryuku's gaze hardened on the other redhead before him, he was wearing the most irritating determined expression. Unfortunately, the few moments that had passed in silence between them seemed to solidify Gashu's proposition. Still, even if everything was as clear as day, Ryuku wasn't about to back down. He glared at the double, waiting for a reaction beyond the silent moment. Hoping for some remote glimmer that Gashu's poker face would shatter and a wide grin would replace the stern look about his face. Once again, there was no change. Just silence. Why did Gashu want to be friends with _her_? Ryuku agonized over the thought of the two becoming close, if Gashu wanted to be friends with anyone in Nerima — putting aside Takumi or any other idiot in this Tokyo ward — Ryuku would've gladly let it slide.

The silence had to be lifted. Ryuku broke the silence with his first word, "What?" he managed to say through clenched teeth. "What did you say?" he reiterated.

Of course the question wasn't necessary, even one bit, but it was only thing that popped from the teenage boy's mouth. Perhaps he needed to hear Gashu, himself, clarify what was currently happening himself.

"You heard what I said," Gashu said.

The corner of Ryuku's mouth twitched. "No, I didn't," he snarled, his vein pulsed strongly at his forehead. "You aren't going to do anything. You're not going to be anyone's friend, especially not hers," he knew Gashu would disregard any of his demands, but this needed to be said: "What you _are_ going to do is stop meddling with my life."

There was an almost unnoticeable shift in Gashu's demeanor. Ryuku's words seemed to have affected the double, at least on the surface. Then the whole structure began to crumble upon its own weight. The look of determination had completely vanished from Gashu's visage. The double's eyebrows furrowed, disbelief marring his features. Ryuku recognized that expression too well. He'd worn it himself far too many times. "You expect me to just stay here and," he stopped, his head faced away from him. "Do nothing?"

Ryuku brushed his hair aside, looked away from Gashu and instead at the wall. "I'm not saying that," Ryuku finally said, after a brief pause. _Why are people so quick to jump to conclusions?_

"Then don't bother sugarcoating it! You might as well say that, Red!" Gashu paused, before abruptly throwing his hands in the air, sputtering out a muddled curse. "Or whatever the hell you want to be called! Right now, I honestly don't care! I'm, I'm going to do this, okay? You can bitch and complain all you want. Nothing's going to change," Ryuku glanced back, noticing that Gashu had stepped into his personal space. He was now face to face with the boy. "You can't stop me."

"I can't let you do whatever the hell you want!" Ryuku exclaimed, using just as much energy. Gashu turned, walking a few paces away. "How many times do I have to remind that you don't belong here?"

Gashu whirled back towards Ryuku, a crazed glint sparked in his blue eyes. "You don't think I get that?" he screeched, so much emotion fueled his voice that his voice cracked. "It's not like that comment isn't always being drilled into my head! I _know_ I'm not home! I don't need the constant reminder!" his head lowered, his hair shielded the fury of passion clearly displayed in his eyes. "It's not like I'm doing anything bad, you know."

Ryuku exhaled through his nose, attempting to sooth his anger. Someone needed to have a clear state of mind. It wouldn't do either of them much good, if they were both trying to beat each other unconscious. "You'll be leading her on, making her hang onto a fake person."

A snide snort came from the double. "And you're not doing the same thing?" Gashu asked, using an innocent tone.

"I try not to talk to her!" Ryuku lashed out harshly, his attempt to tame his rage proved to be pointless. _Yeah, like that's surprising_."If you encourage this — this fantasy! She'll never be able to — she'll find out eventually."

"She'll never find out," Gashu laughed half-heartedly. "Plus, even if she did, wouldn't that be a relief? You wouldn't have to keep hiding this anymore."

Again, Ryuku tried breathing exercises. "It's my business, remember? We just said this!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, taking another quick breath he calmed down. "Why do you want to be friends with her anyway?"

"I just do. I don't have to give reasons for everything."

"Yes, you do! Every time I let you leave this house, I'm letting you run my life! How many times do I have to tell you this, before you finally fucking get that?"

Gashu's head whipped upwards, his eyes locked onto Ryuku's unfaltering stare. "You were perfectly fine with letting me do that before, while you were letting your sorry ass mope in here!"

"That was," There was no point being reasonable anymore. Gashu would never, ever listen to reason. "That was _different_!"

Ryuku saw Gashu's fingers ball into a tight fist. His knuckles appeared to be bleached white. "I won't even be you," he reminded Ryuku. "I'll be Ryoko."

"I don't care who you'll be! You'll still be associated with me!"

"I'm not doing anything bad!"

"Yes, you are!" Ryuku shouted overpowering Gashu's words. "You don't realize it but you are! She's not some play thing. I don't know what you want from her but she's not someone or some… _thing_ to use for you entertainment."

"You can't say that! You can't _fucking_ say anything! You, you don't know how I am with my friends!" Gashu shook his head, his jaw clenching and unclenching. "I'm not going to be using her. I just want… to have someone _depend_ on me."

Right when the question left his mouth, Ryuku knew it was stupid. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, you know what I mean," the double had the same bitter laugh he did. "Obviously you're not the only one unhappy about me being here. I haven't even spent much time around Ryota or Ryou, whatever you call him, but he already hates my guts. Misaki's a nice kid… she has… don't get me wrong, she's a nice kid," Ryuku would've asked him to elaborate – _what was wrong with Misaki?_ – But the timing would've been inappropriate. "You won't let me anywhere near your ma. I've got no one, _nothing_ here. I'm all alone, Ryuku."

And it was bizarre, hearing yourself call yourself by your name. It was also unsettling, hearing yourself use such a defeated tone when you were speaking to yourself.

"It's not like you'll be the one talking to her. You're both avoiding each other anyway. I don't see what the big deal is."

The previous night's discussion hadn't exactly ended on a pleasant note. Nothing was resolved. Everything had simply ended when the long silence between them stretched to the point where what was left of their conversation could no longer be salvaged. They withdrew to their respective rooms. It was rare for Ryuku to catch sight of his double when he left for school. Gashu wasn't a very fond of waking up early, unless he planned to take a morning jog – or perhaps wake himself up with an early training session. That morning, Ryuku didn't see Gashu at all. Normally, he was unfazed by this. He didn't care what his double was doing, unless he was doing something annoyingly stupid. Today, a disconcerting sensation had formed in his stomach and had decided to deepen rather than gradually fade into nothingness.

Sitting in his homeroom class, Ryuku's mind was restless. He found himself gazing outside the window, blankly studying the students running around the track. It proved to be an excellent distraction, as it prevented him from listening to Hair Gel's disengaging lecture. However, the distraction only provided him with so much. His thoughts were cluttered with Gashu's exclamations, as if it were a horrible song you couldn't get out of your head. _What is that idiot thinking?_ There was no way he was letting him do anything with that Ayano girl. It was too risky. If he let Gashu become too comfortable, there was no telling what kind of trouble he'd bring to his already complicated and hectic life. The last thing he needed was for Gashu to add anything else to his plate.

"Mr. Saotome?"

Ryuku leaned closer to the window; he glanced up at the clouds. Today looked like a good day to be outside.

"… Mr. Saotome?"

"Um," a small voice rudely intruded his hearing. "S-Saotome?"

Why was everyone saying his name all of a sudden?

"Sao –"

Clenching his teeth, Ryuku reluctantly forced his gaze elsewhere, instead targeting an annoyed glare at his classmate seated in front of him. "_What?_"

His classmate's face paled from the intensity of Ryuku's glare. He sank down in his seat. As if that wasn't enough, a balled up piece of paper bounced off Ryuku's head and landed on his desk. Ryuku blinked, looking over the classroom to see who had thrown the paper. The culprit turned out to be his best friend, who was making ridiculous physical gestures and facial expressions. Puzzled, Ryuku raised his eyebrow, before he came to the frightening realization that the classroom had gone silent. Hair Gel had stopped in the middle of his lecture, staring at the redhead.

Reluctantly, Ryuku returned Hair Gel's stare. Said teacher wasn't exactly expressing displeasure of his student's lack of attention during class. This didn't make Ryuku feel any better. "Forgive me, Saotome," Hair Gel started. Ryuku was unnerved by the blank expression his teacher wore. "I don't want to interrupt your daydreams. If my lesson isn't grabbing your attention, perhaps you'd rather do something for me instead?" he pulled out two metal buckets from underneath his desk. "It requires two buckets and you standing in the hallway."

After fetching and filling two buckets with water, Ryuku found himself dutifully standing outside his classroom, in an empty hallway. Using a firm grip on the flimsy handles, he leaned against the wall behind him. This was the first time that he'd been given an actual punishment for something so _petty_. Sure, he had received more than his fair, or not so fair, share of slips for detentions, but it wasn't for being distracted during class. It wasn't like he was: sleeping, sneaking a snack, or looking at a dirty magazine strategically placed behind a textbook (like some other students). What was wrong with being distracted? Of course he should've been paying attention to the lecture, but how many people were _actually_ listening in there? Before he left the class, he saw plenty of his classmates asleep, yet they weren't the ones standing in the hallway, like some sort of prisoner.

A brash burst of light flashed upon Ryuku's face. In that instant, he blinked away from his thoughts and into the pale boy before him. The snide young man was holding a camera in his hands, coddling it against his chest. His lips formed a smug crescent, with a low chuckle accompanying his composure.

"Gosunkugi," Ryuku grumbled, with what little tolerance he had left was barely a thread that would snap – and if it did snap, Ryuku would gladly drench his classmate with the contents of the pails.

"It _must_ be my lucky day," Fumio announced, touting his shiny new camera. "I never thought I'd see the day when Bloody Knife Saotome, of all people, would be standing in the hall," he gestured at the buckets, brimming full of water. Droplets had already landed on Ryuku's shoes. "Kind of an old fashioned punishment, don't you think?"

"Are you done talking?"

"I still can't believe how lucky I am. To have gotten such a memorable moment in Furinkan history on film," Fumio positioned the camera, adjusting the lens just slightly. "I'm going to need plenty of material to document this event perfectly. Why don't you give us a smile, huh?"

Within a second, Ryuku quickly balanced the bucket against his foot, freeing his hand, which he then used to pilfer the camera. "Do you really want me to break another camera?" he spat, bringing the camera closer to inspect it. "This one looks expensive, too. How'd you bullshit your way into getting this?"

"What's wrong Saotome?" Fumio sneered, calmly reclaiming his property with a swift grab. "Pissed that you're finally being treated like the rest of us common folk? Should I be bowing down right now? I don't want you to pull your knife out of me. All that blood must be a pain to wash off," he finished with a pompous laugh.

Ryuku bared a toothy grin. "I wouldn't even need a –"

Abruptly, the door swung ajar silencing the two teens' quarrel. A dark brown mop of hair popped through the gap, before the male bore his face. "Ryuku, Mr. Hair Gel says you can come back inside now."

"Hibiki," Fumio was the first to greet the lost boy. "Glad to hear you're able to finally form complete sentences now."

Ryou gave him a tight-lipped smile. "It's always a pleasure to talk to you, Gosunkugi," he told his classmate. "I hate to interrupt your conversation, but Ryuku needs to return to class."

"I'm sure Saotome can spare a few more minutes," Fumio insisted, clapping his hand over Ryuku's shoulder. "Isn't that right? Besides, I was just about to mention our conversation the other day. You know the one where you threatened me?"

Unexpectedly, the door swung fully open, blasting the bucket free of Ryuku's balance act. Water cascaded all upon the tiled floor, some to the two friends' pleasure, had drenched Fumio's upper body – to which the boy swiftly jerked his camera out of harm's way. "Hibiki, what's taking so long?" a monotonous voice boomed behind Ryou. The owner of the voice made his appearance known. Of course it would be Hair Gel. "Saotome, are you ready to return to class?" his yellow eyes then landed on Fumio. "Why are you not in class?"

"Sorry, sir," Fumio apologized, bowing respectfully, although he couldn't hide the disdain of the actions of a teacher. Or perhaps he was even intimidated by Hair Gel. "I was just on my way back to class. Unfortunately, Saotome distracted me. He wanted to look at my new camera. I'll be going now." Without wasting another second, Fumio waved goodbye to both Ryuku and Ryou, acting as if they were the best of friends, and left.

Hair Gel glanced at the empty pail and then turned his focus onto Ryou. "You may return to your seat, Hibiki," there was a pregnant pause, while the teen departed from the scene. "You've missed a significant piece of the lecture. I suggest you ask one of your classmates for their notes. You'll need this information. In the meantime, you'll depart to the facilities and clean up this mess, before you rejoin the class."

_This was your fault to begin with!_ Ryuku's mind screeched, but he resigned in defeat. With a heavy sigh, he replied. "Yes, Mr. Hair Gel. I'm sorry about this. It won't happen again."

"I'd be careful with that water if I were you," Ryuku felt himself tense, as these words flew from Hair Gel's lips. "After all, wouldn't it have been a shame if you drenched yourself like your classmate?"

Ryuku gave a mental sigh of relief. "Yes, of course, that wouldn't be very good."

Hair Gel nodded as he closed the door behind him, leaving Ryuku to his task.

**X**

After all the years Ryou had known his best friend, there had always been something bothering him. However, it had been increasingly difficult to connect with Ryuku for the past few days. Of course this wouldn't stop the lost boy's attempts to rekindle their tight-knit friendship, and what better time to do so than at lunch? Ryuku was completely out of it. With his bento box on his thigh, Ryou continued to eat his lunch peacefully, eyeing his best friend's blank expression. The very expression was so unchanged that even statues would envy it. Sighing, Ryou set his lunch beside him, before waving his hand a few feet in front of Ryuku, which only garnered a mere blink from the boy. Ryou's lips formed a darkened scowl, as if on impulse he swiped his hand with a loud snap of his fingers. The same exact frown had appeared upon the redhead's visage. But, still, Ryuku uttered no words. It was the last straw; Ryou snatched a piece of his lunch and flung it onto Ryuku's hair. The food slid off of Ryuku's red hair and slid down his face and onto his uniform.

Remnants of rice and sausage were left on Ryuku's cheeks. He cleaned himself with a napkin Ryou handed him. "Are you done?"

"What's up with you today?" Ryou asked; he picked at his food with his chopsticks, his appetite diminishing. "You've been acting… stranger than normal. It doesn't make me want to eat when there's something bothering you."

"There's nothing bothering me," Ryuku snarled, greatly contradicting his statement.

Ryou's frown deepened. "Why can't you give me a straight answer for once? I don't understand why you don't trust me. Are we best friends or not?"

The redhead cocked his head to the side, his expression baffled. "I'm just thinking about something."

"Thinking about what exactly?" Ryou pressed on urgently. "Can we stop going around in circles?"

"Ryou," at this point, he expected a retort from his friend. A short worded exclaim which would abruptly end their talk. Instead, Ryuku cupped the back of his neck, looking anxious. "This is a weird question. I think it's stupid that I'm even thinking this, but it's really bothering me."

A grin broke the frown set on Ryou's lips. He couldn't help suppressing the excitement that was bubbling inside him. They were getting somewhere. "What is it?"

Ryuku flopped onto his back, outstretching his arms on the grass. This was alright. His best friend was getting comfortable. There was nothing wrong with that. "Do you think I'm being too," his lips curled into a light frown. "Hard on Gashu?"

"What kind of question is that?" Ryou retorted. "You're not being hard on anyone. What you're being is practical," the lost boy shook his head. "You're right. That was a stupid question."

"I know. I _don't _know," Ryuku threw his arm over his eyes, his fingers dug into his palm. "It's just, if I was the one in his place I'd… go crazy being stuck in the house all day. I can kind of understand where he's coming from."

"Wasn't that why you let him be _you_ for the last few weeks?" Ryou questioned, doing his best to keep the snappy tone from his voice. "I think that was a pretty nice gesture."

From under his arm, Ryuku snuck a peek at Ryou. "Partly," he mumbled softly. "It was also so I wouldn't fall behind in my classes. Honestly, I wasn't planning it for him… it was more for my own sake, if anything."

"What do you want me to say, Ryuku? Do you want me to tell you that you were wrong? You should've treated him better? That – come on, Ryuku! Do you know how ridiculous all this sounds? He doesn't belong here. We're lucky nothing bad has happened yet. We're messing with some serious stuff, letting him be here."

"… He's alone."

"What?" Ryou blinked. "What do you mean by that? How is he alone?"

Ryuku shifted into a seated position. There were strands of grass stuck in his hair, but no one cared enough to do anything about it. "I hate that feeling," he murmured. "He's alone here and I'm not making him feel any better. The last thing I should do is make things worse, but I, I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Ryou. I keep yelling at him, keep picking fights with him. He makes me so pissed off and I _hate_ him," a startled laugh escaped his mouth.

"Where's all this coming from?"

"I feel kind of crappy now," Ryuku mumbled, rubbing his hand over his face. "Maybe… maybe I should get some sleep, before lunch is over? I couldn't sleep very well last night."

"Yeah," Ryou agreed softly. "Maybe you should. I'll wake you up when the bell rings."

"Thanks."

After all that prying, all this accomplished was the feeling of uselessness. Ryou buried his face in his hands, releasing a soft sigh, before resting on his back. _What are friends for?_

**X**

During her lunch breaks, she spent her time at her desk, where she'd follow a specific but short schedule: she spent an estimated ten minutes or less on lunch, for the next five she would daydream, and then she'd spend the rest of lunch scribbling in her notebook. It was less of a hassle, if she remained where she was. Why would she bother leaving when she had nowhere to go? No one (she liked) was waiting for her.

Languidly fishing inside her schoolbag, her fingertips brushed onto the plastic container of her lunch box. She replaced her notebook, textbooks, and other essentials with everything she would need for lunch: a small water bottle, a pair of chopsticks and a handkerchief (both her favorite color, pink), her favorite bento (which was garnished with hearts and sparkles). The lid was removed, revealing a homemade meal prepared specially for her. For today's lunch, her mother had gone out of her way to make all her favorites. She unwrapped her utensils, placing the handkerchief across her lap. Before she dug in, she murmured a few words of gratitude. Her eyes blankly stared at the whiteboard, wiped clean and awaiting for the next lesson after lunch. She slipped some rice into her mouth, as she chewed thoughtfully; she surveyed the activity in the classroom. At one side of the room, there was a mixed crowd of boys and girls smothering Sakurako with the utmost adoration. Since the girl didn't believe in modesty Miss Popular greedily ate every bit of consideration thrown her way.

Fortunately, the classroom had the pleasure of housing not one but _two_ of the most well-liked students in her class. While Sakurako reigned supreme in her specific area, there was – a loud laugh attracted Misaki to glance to another sector of the room. The laugh hadn't belonged to Sakurako or any of her many admirers. The source of the laughter had come from a boy. This boy, like Sakurako, was found in the middle of a group. However, unlike Sakurako, the boy wasn't surrounded by her adoring servants but by his friends.

Misaki pressed the tip of her chopsticks over her bottom lip, watching with rapt attention as the boy continued to laugh and laugh. The boy was hunched at his desk, fingers furiously jamming buttons on a handheld device. Obnoxious sounds erupted from the gadget. Accompanying the boy's laugh were his friends, who all wore big happy grins. Every now and then, they would nudge the boy aside to point at the screen, or playfully shove each other to get a better look at what was happening. Misaki's heartbeat thudded in her ears; she couldn't handle much more of the boy's jubilant mirth. Her cheeks were going to burst into flames. How could anyone be so happy?

And like a light switch, Misaki's wishes were answered, when the boy became silent. "No way!" he cried out. "Game over already?" he faced the boy closet to him, on his right side. "That's not fair! Gimme another chance! Please?"

The boy's friend, apparently the owner of the game, shook his head. Wearing a grin, he attempted to grab his game from the boy's hands. "No way, Kouhei, you've been on the same level ever since lunch started! You're getting nowhere. It's time for someone else to try."

Letting out a groan, Kouhei reluctantly relinquished his temporary ownership of the game. He handed it to someone else, a childish pout tugging at his lips. However, his sour mood didn't last very long. As he watched his friends try to play, he started to join in the playful shoves and shouted encouragement whenever he could. Misaki swallowed a startled squeal when, somehow, Kouhei glanced in her general direction. Immediately, she averted her gaze elsewhere. Otherwise, something would've surely happened: their eyes would've accidently met. She couldn't handle that. At a hurried pace, she resumed eating the rest of her lunch, while she focused on the handkerchief rested over her thighs. It was safer this way.

"You're really obvious."

Misaki picked at a loose string of thread on her handkerchief.

"Kouhei doesn't have time for weird girls like you," Of course, she wasn't the only one to notice the boy. Miss Popular had already sunken her teeth into him. "It'd be better for all of us if you forget about him. He's way too good for you."

Misaki turned her head, finding something else to look at. Unlike her previous encounter with Kouhei, her eyes rested on a lounging figure located in the back of the class. Takumi had his desk balanced on its back legs, teetering dangerously on a source of balance. The young Hibiki was idly munching on a sandwich, half wrapped in saran wrap. At the beginning of lunch, Takumi had gotten into the habit of leaving for several minutes to grab a quick lunch from the cafeteria. He'd be back in a flash, already back at his desk. This wasn't always what Takumi did during his lunch time. He used to walk around campus, deliberately starting fights – doing anything to cause some sort of trouble. But now for some strange reason, Takumi was like Misaki, he had nowhere else to go.

At the moment, Takumi hadn't noticed her gaze on him. All of the positive emotions Kouhei unintentionally elicited from her died the very instant her eyes landed on the monster. What was a worse sight to behold? The tragedy of the most admired girl lost in her own ignorance and supposed beauty? Or the terrible monster, who brought endless fear and pain towards others for his own sick enjoyment? Takumi adjusted the studded choker on his neck. The sunlight trickling in the classroom lit the silver embedded in the black leather, casting a brief sparkle in the classroom. He chewed his mouthful of food, choosing now to move away from the window to meet Misaki's stare. With a noisy screech, Takumi's desk landed on the tiled flooring and he hopped onto his feet. Within a matter of seconds, he rushed out of the classroom, retreating to wherever he declared best suited for his lair of misery. His choice of path involved violently shoving Sakurako and several of Kouhei's friends out of the way.

Misaki's lips pursed. She didn't bother to finish her lunch; instead she capped the container, wiped her chopsticks off on her handkerchief and put everything away. She daydreamed about spending a lovely afternoon with her cousin at the ice rink – Misaki was rather fond of ice skating, after all.

**X**

Anyone could tell he was a Saotome, the true heir to _Anything Goes Martial Arts_. From where he was standing, at the doorway leading into the dojo, Ryuku wordlessly watched his double move. The dojo was barely recognizable, since someone (named Gashu) had taken the initiative to clean up. It made sense. Someone was actually using the dojo now. Why should Gashu have to train in a messy training hall? While Gashu wasn't wear official practice attire, he seemed perfectly comfortable in what he'd thrown on: a loose white tank top and baggy black basketball shorts. Since Gashu had broken out a sweat, his top clung onto his midsection. His disheveled hair was matted down onto his face. Droplets of sweat flew whenever he struck the training dummy, which was placed before him. After receiving a particularly powerful punch, the wooden platform for the dummy scraped against the wooden floor. A swift chain of punches was targeted on specific parts of the dummy's torso. Letting out a battle cry, Gashu's final attack snapped the dummy's head around, the head tipped backwards, hanging on a thin strip of rubber.

Heaving a loud sigh, Gashu slicked his damp hair back. "Are you gonna keep staring at me all day?"

For a split second, Ryuku was suddenly shoved back into the illusion. He was, once again, staring at the teenage version of his father. His father who had asked him the same exact thing, when he'd been caught watching him. Shaking his head, Ryuku forced himself back to reality.

"Well?" the double leaned his forearm against the tattered dummy, shooting Ryuku an expectant look. "You have somethin' to say or what?"

Ryuku avoided Gashu's stare, instead focusing on the double's pigtail, which was curled over Gashu's left shoulder. "I've been thinking."

"Should I be concerned?"

"About your stupid decision," Ryuku said in a rush. "Which is beyond ridiculous, but," he tugged at the hem of his uniform jacket. "After some thought," he stopped again, noticing Gashu's staring intently, waiting for him to finish. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad if you were friends with her."

A grin instantly brightened Gashu's face. "Really?" he sputtered, excitement enhancing his toothy grin. "You're being serious right now?"

Ryuku shuffled his feet. "Well, it's not like it'd affect me really," Ryuku replied, shrugging. "She'd only be talking to Ryoko. It's not like you'd be blabbing anything to her."

"Why would I do that?" Gashu snorted, he flicked his pigtail over his shoulder. "She doesn't like you remember?"

"Yeah, I know," Ryuku grunted back. "But before you go all crazy about your 'new friendship', I need you to remember a few things."

Gashu blinked. "Do you have a set of rules for me to follow?"

"A few. Ayano may have something to call my girl form, but she's not the only one who's seen Ryoko," Ryuku told his double. "Try not to let it spread that Ryoko is my 'sister'. No one at the Cat Café really knows who she is and I want to keep it that way. With my… reputation, it's hard to do some stuff around here. Ryoko is kind of my way to get around things."

"That makes sense," Gashu agreed, bobbing his head. "I get what you mean. I can do that. No problem."

Ryuku scoffed. "That's reassuring."

"Ah, come on, can't you trust yourself?" Gashu hopped over to Ryuku, playing nudging his bicep. "You can totally trust me this time! I'm really happy you're letting me do this! I thought I would've had to, like, do something behind your back," he wavered slightly from Ryuku's warning glare, but recovered fairly quickly letting out an amused chuckle. "Now I don't have to do that! Isn't that great? We're finally building a friendship between us, you and me."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Say what you want," the double beamed. "I can tell this is the start of something beautiful," and the next word that left Gashu's lips ruined everything. "Cherry!"

Ryuku gave him a sour look. "Cherry?"

Gashu giggled, he actually _giggled_. Ryuku flinched. Such a bubbly sound should never be allowed to leave his mouth. "You're not the only one who's been thinkin' around here!" Gashu informed him matter-of-factly; he plopped his hand over his hip. "I've been racking my brain over the whole nickname situation you've got goin' on."

"It's _not_ a situation. You were supposed to drop it."

"Red made you super grumpy. So, I was thinking –"

"Cherry would make me _thrilled?_"

"What other things are red?" Gashu finished, acting as if he hadn't been interrupted at all. "And when you think about it they're a lot of damn things that are red! Isn't that awesome? Do you know what this means for you, Cherry? We have plenty of things to call you, until we find the perfect nickname!"

Ryuku flicked Gashu's forehead. "Call me Cherry again and I'm taking everything back."

Huffing, Gashu rubbed where Ryuku had struck him. "Okay, fine. Be that way, spoilsport."

In what he believed to be a subtle manner, Ryuku gave the dojo once last look over. "That's all I had to say," he started. "I'm heading to my room. Have fun with your… training."

The double's hand shot out, he seized Ryuku's wrist, giving him a squeeze. "Hey, do you wanna join me?" his lips curled into a light smile. It was an encouraging one. "We could have ourselves a nice sparring match. I've been itching to fight another living, breathing person! 'Sides, I've been here for awhile now, shouldn't we have sparred already? How many chances do you ever get to fight yourself?"

He didn't even entertain the thought, before giving his answer. "Some other time," Ryuku mumbled, taking his arm back out of Gashu's hold. "I had a long day."

Gashu's response was quick. "That's cool," his smile widened, the disappointment flickered in his eyes briefly. "I'll take that as a rain check, then?"

"I'm looking forward to it." _It'll never happen._

"Better get back to it," Gashu moved back to his spot. "I'm looking forward to it, too, Cherry."

Ryuku's hand flew into the air, his middle finger extended and directed towards his double.

Gashu's laughter followed him all the way back to his room.

**X**

There was undeniable proof that their homeroom teacher was a cruel man.

What kind of sick man would give so many quizzes during the course of one week? Or force their students to take a quiz when it was clear the majority of the class wasn't even paying attention. This was cruel and unusual punishment.

Ryuku gripped at his hair, gazing intently at the sheet of paper on his desk. Hair Gel's quizzes were supposed to take about ten minutes, yet it felt as if an eternity had past. He could barely focus on anything. His pencil clattered on the desk. Now, his free hand closed into a fist. He pressed his fist against the side of his head, hoping the action would somehow conjure the answer he was desperately searching for. Unfortunately, it did very little to ease his anxiety and frustration. In fact, the only thing the action did accomplish was further add to his growing headache. Losing all hope, Ryuku checked on his best friend seated several rows away from him. What he saw wasn't unexpected. Ryou was doing more than fine. With his pencil scribbling furiously across his paper, Ryou was well on his way on writing a novel. The lost boy would never cease to be an overachiever.

If their old homeroom teacher hadn't been replaced, Ryuku would've lobbed a spit ball or tossed an eraser at his best friend. Their old teacher tended to doze off during tests or even quizzes, which made it almost too easy to target Ryou. Considering Hair Gel watched his class like a hawk, Ryuku wasn't willing to take any risks. If daydreaming got him sentenced to holding buckets, who knew what spits ball and erases would get him. Scowling, Ryuku tore his gaze from Ryou, instead turning his attention back to his own pathetic excuse of a paper. _What's the point on trying anymore?_ He scrawled a half-assed response and slammed his pencil down.

The wait for everyone else to finish was fairly short. He leapt onto his feet, after the last person turned in their paper. When he stood at Hair Gel's desk, he almost expected Hair Gel to say something. But the homeroom teacher simply spared him a quick look, his lips quirking into a slight frown, before he removed his glasses and cleaned them with a purple silk cloth. Ryuku placed his paper with the others and returned to his desk.

The rest of class went by, surprisingly, quickly. Perhaps Hair Gel was having an off day, not that Ryuku was complaining. Ryuku balanced his pencil over his nose. Under his breath, he whistled a rhythm-less tune. He could see Hair Gel taking his time to gather his belongings. The teacher shut his briefcase, tucked his glasses case in his jacket and (this was the part where he'd leave) sauntered over to where Ryuku was seated.

Ryuku snatched the pencil off the bridge of his nose, swiftly adjusting his posture. "Yes, Mr. Hair Gel?"

"Saotome," Hair Gel regarded him. "Perhaps you'd like to have our meeting afterschool today?" his lips pursed, before he added. "That is, if you're not already attached to other engagements."

Ryuku tapped the pencil against his palm. "Oh, uh," he bit his bottom lip. "We can have that meeting. I'm not busy."

"Very well," the teacher murmured, nodding curtly. "I look forward to meeting you."

Unsure of how to respond, Ryuku returned his nod. It wasn't long before Ryou replaced where Hair Gel stood moments earlier. "What was that about?" he questioned his best friend with concern. "Were you in trouble? Did someone make another stupid excuse about you cheating again or was it –"

"It's nothing like that," Ryuku cut in gently, twirling his pencil with his fingers. "He just wanted to talk to me."

"That's all it was? It wasn't anything serious?"

Ryuku nodded. "Nothing serious," he confirmed. "We're having a meeting afterschool today."

"You don't think that's serious?"

"I hope it's not serious," Ryuku grumbled. "Teachers never really want to talk to me."

"It probably isn't anything bad," Ryou assured him, smiling. "But how can you meet him afterschool? Don't you have work?"

"It's fine. I can take care of it." Unfortunately, this meant he had to resort to _that_.

"How can you take care of it? Isn't your boss impossible to negotiate with?"

"Don't worry, Ryou," Ryuku said, reaching inside his uniform jacket for his phone. He flipped it open, going to his phone book and searching for the last person he wanted to text. But it needed to be done; he had no one else to turn to. "I'll be at work."

**X**

When Ryuku couldn't pick her up afterschool, she'd go to the grass fields to watch the soccer team practice. She was seated at the stands, a safe distance placed between her and the small group that had gathered for the team. The stands were uncomfortable, the coolness of the stiff dented metal doing little to provide any source of comfort. But she could deal with the horrible seats, if it meant she could see him. Her schoolbag was next to her, while her elbows were propped on her knees. She cupped her cheeks, looking very much like a little kid watching their favorite TV show, as she watched the team in awe. Her eyes followed a specific team member running across the grass. He was the "Star Athlete" of the team. Unlike the other popular kids at Chuushinten, he didn't let his popularity cloud his judgment. He was friendly to everyone. He had an enjoyable sense of humor and he was kind to everyone. His schoolwork needed drastic improvement. However, his talent in other areas made up for everything else. All of these things could only describe: Kouhei Sonoda.

The breeze mussed his short chocolate brown hair about. There was always a sparkle in his friendly brown eyes. His entire face lit up whenever a smile played over his lips. Anyone could tell he was an athlete. His build wasn't frail or bulky; he had enough muscles to defend himself. But he wasn't violent or cruel. He didn't have any evil bone in his body. He was beautiful.

She believed she could hide her true feelings, but it seemed she hadn't done as well as she thought, since Sakurako figured it out. As long as Takumi remained ignorant, she could handle anything Miss Popular did. Sakurako, on the other hand, didn't care who knew how she felt about the soccer player. However, she wasn't the only one after Kouhei. Plenty of girls had crushes on him. Plenty of girls confessed their feelings to him. _Plenty _of girls desperately desired to be able to call themselves Kouhei Sonoda's girlfriend. But no girl possessed the power to catch Kouhei's attention. He was far to invested with sports, videogames, hanging out with his friends – boy things.

"I never thought I'd catch you here, Miss Mute," Miss Popular greatly enjoyed disturbing her silence. Sakurako's scoff invaded Misaki's ears. "I was just on my way to see if Kouhei needed anything. He tends to overwork himself, even when the team's only practicing. He's such a hard worker."

She ignored the girl, staring after Kouhei's moving figure. He raced across the field at such an impressive speed, dashing after the ball as if he were a cheetah after the kill.

"I don't think you should keep doing this. _Watching _Kouhei," Sakurako told her. "You're an eyesore, a distraction. You're running Kouhei's focus and we can't have that. The soccer team's reputation would be ruined. Our school would be ruined. Do you really want to be one responsible for that?"

How could Kouhei move so fast?

"Are you even listening to me?" Sakurako complained. "Jeez, why do I even bother wasting my breath? You never listen to anyone! All you do is sit by yourself and stare off into space or creep people out with that dull stare of yours. No wonder everyone thinks you're a freak. Freaks like you should stay away from Kouhei… and everyone else."

"_Hey, heads up!_"

Misaki tilted her head back, eyes trailing after the soccer ball soaring over the stands, over their heads.

On the field, one of the older boys shouted. "Sonoda, you made that kick! That's your ball!"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Kouhei exclaimed earnestly, giving the older boy a mock salute. He darted off the field, running towards the stands, his eyes locking onto the two girls. Wearing a grin, he vigorously waved at them. Misaki hung her head. Next to her, she heard Sakurako eagerly returning Kouhei's greeting. Misaki could hear Kouhei climbing up the stairs. She could see the stained white socks stretched over his calves, the special shoes the players were required to wear. "Hey you two, did you happen to see where our ball went?"

"No, I didn't see where it went," Sakurako said, giggling. "You're doing great as always, Kouhei."

"Thanks, Sugiyama!" Misaki pressed her hand over her racing heart. His modest chuckle was driving her crazy. Without warning, Kouhei's face was blocking her vision. Misaki's mouth dropped in shock. Her body reacted faster than her brain; she immediately scooted to a safe distance. Kouhei had knelt down to look into her eyes. He was smiling at _her_. "How about you?"

Sakurako yanked at the back of his grass stained soccer uniform. "You don't have to talk to her."

Kouhei's smile stretched into a warm grin. "Did you see where our ball went?"

Misaki's mind was blank. All the blood rushed to her face, coloring her cheeks a dark red. Her teeth nipped at her lip, she couldn't look away. She couldn't answer.

Sakurako childishly stomped her foot onto the stands. "Just leave her alone, Kouhei. She's not worth your time."

Kouhei was insistent. "Maybe she knows where our ball went."

"She doesn't know anything!" Sakurako told him, harshly pulling Kouhei onto his feet. "Would you get away from her?"

Kouhei brushed Sakurako's hand off him. "Calm down, Sugiyama," he said. "You can't say that. I bet she knows something. I catch her watching us all the time," Misaki's eyes widened. "You're, um, Ono, right?"

Hesitantly, Misaki nodded her head. _He saw me? _She shielded her face with her hands. _H-he knows who I am?_

"Over here!" Misaki's heart sank. She recognized that voice. Misaki lowered her shield, feebly peeking over her fingertips to confirm what she already knew. There he was walking towards them, holding the – she held back a terrified gasp – soccer ball. A cold smirk was on his lips. _No. No. No. Go away. Go away. _"You're looking for this, right?"

Misaki turned to Kouhei, she needed to reach out, stop him from leaving. But she didn't. It was Sakurako who did something. "That Hibiki is such a creep," she said to Kouhei."You don't have to get that ball from him."

"The captain is waiting for the ball," Kouhei said. "I needed to get it. Thanks for the help, Sugiyama," he smiled at Misaki. "Thanks Ono."

A dreamy sigh came from Sakurako. "Isn't my boyfriend the nicest guy ever? He's even willing to give you and Hibiki a chance. Even though you both don't deserve it," she ran her fingers through her long hair. "I better get back to my friends. They're probably worried about me."

Misaki hadn't noticed Sakurako's departure. She was focused on watching Kouhei meet Takumi. They hadn't strayed far from the stands and the field. They weren't far enough that Misaki could no long hear their conversation. Still wearing that smirk, Takumi held the ball out for Kouhei. The ball was flattened.

"Sorry about your ball," His apology wasn't authentic. "It was like this when I found it."

"That's all right. We have an air pump! Thanks, Hibiki!" Kouhei reached for the bell, but Takumi moved it out of his reach.

"I don't think it'll be that easy to fix," Takumi said stiffly. "When I found it, I saw a few holes in it. Now, I wonder who must've done that. Guess we'll never know."

"I guess so," Kouhei agreed meekly, glancing over the flat ball. "But that's nothing some duct tape can't fix. Or, hey, some super glue could work."

Takumi snorted. "Watch where you kick that thing idiot," the middle schooler spat. "The stupid ball hit me right in the face."

Kouhei cocked his head to the side, confused. "I thought you said you found it."

Takumi stepped forward, invading Kouhei's personal space, and glared at him coldly. "I _did_," he stated firmly. "I also found it with holes. Now take the stupid thing, before I rip it apart and ground the pieces in _your_ face."

"Thanks, Hibiki. We'll just, uh, go grab another ball or something," Kouhei picked up the flattened soccer ball from Takumi, "Thanks again." He broke into a sprint to rejoin his team on the field.

Takumi hadn't glared after Kouhei's departing figure. Instead, he turned to look in Misaki's direction, immediately sharing eye contact. The middle schooler scowled, he averted his gaze, jamming his hands into his pockets and stepped forward. If things had been different, he would've taken a seat at the stands – attempted some sort of talk with her but they both knew better. When Takumi stopped he was dangerously close to her, but he kept away at a distance, kicked at the grass.

His stare was burning holes into her chest.

**X**

It was fifteen past three.

Another minute passed, a frustrated curse left her mouth. She snapped her phone shut, hastily shoving the device into her pants pocket, and quickened her pace down the railing of the fence. While she was quite a bit faster in female form, her normal form's legs covered more distance. It was such a pain to jog as a girl, at least when there was an actual destination set in mind. She yanked down the knitted beanie, she'd found the headgear in Akane's room – it was much better suited on her than if she were a guy. Her hands held onto her backpack straps, as she leapt onto off the fence and scrambled past Furinkan's front gates. When she neared the school building, she plucked her phone back out, once again checking the time that wouldn't stop on her account.

An annoyed grunt escaped her lips. "He just _had_ to send me a text, asking me to cover for him at work!" she huffed. "How the heck am I supposed to work without the uniform, that dolt!?"

Stomping into the building, Gashu slipped off her slippers and tucked them under her arm. She didn't want to deal with the disapproving glances if she wasn't wearing the appropriate shoes to wear inside. She dealt enough with that back home. It wasn't long before she reached the staircase. She began her long climb up the stairs, mumbling obscenities under her breath the whole time. Once she reached the fourth floor, she was already sprinting down the hallway, and unfortunately, once again, ran into her _favorite _couple.

"Ryoko," Ayano excitedly waved her over. "Whenever I see you you're always in a hurry!"

Standing behind his giddy girlfriend, Togo gave Gashu a small smile. "It's always good to see you –"

Ayano cut in. "Are you looking for –"

Gashu's eyes flew to Togo. "My boyfriend!" she interjected with an anxious, bubbly giggle. "Of course, I'm looking for my boyfriend!"

"R-Ryoko, I had no idea!" Ayano squeaked, her hands cupping over her mouth. Her hands grasped onto Gashu's, her face brightened. "Wow! You never told me you had a boyfriend! Of course, you have a boyfriend! I'm so happy for you! I bet you two look adorable!"

"Oh, yeah, we're… really cute," Gashu wore an impish smile. "Uh, but we're probably not as cute as you two!"

"You're just saying that!" Ayano giggled, her cheeks flushed. "And here I thought you only came here for –"

"My boyfriend's probably waiting for me! I better get going," Gashu said, letting out an uneasy giggle. "Um, how about you two wait here? I'll be right back!"

**X**

Things were going to be different this time around. He was actually going to talk to Hair Gel. This time he had left for the bathroom, not because of habit, but because he needed to calm himself down. A splash of (warm) water on his face, or something along those lines, should be able to calm his nerves. He wasn't going to be leaving. They were going to talk as teacher and student. He was actually having a meeting with a teacher. Ryuku twisted the water nozzle, testing the water with his fingertips to test out the temperature. The liquid was luke warm. Good enough. Cupping his hands under the stream, he splashed water over his face. He leaned against the sink, blankly looking over his reflection in the smudged mirror.

"It's probably nothing bad, right?" he asked, for some reason expecting an answer back. With a groan, he threw some water at the glass, momentarily clouding his mirror image. "You should've told him you were busy again, you stupid idiot."

After a pointless staring contest with the bathroom mirror, Ryuku reluctantly exited the restroom. Waiting around wasn't going to change anything. He told Hair Gel they were having the afterschool meeting today. The redhead deliberately strolled down the hallway at a slow speed. It was petty, moving so slowly to prolong the inevitable but he didn't care. Ryuku had no idea what was going to happen. He was merely preparing himself, both mentally and physically, for whatever Hair Gel meant by his strange comments.

"'I look forward to meeting you'," Ryuku mumbled softly to himself, using the same exact dull tone Hair Gel used. "Why can't he talk like a normal teacher? Or better yet, a normal person," he shook his head, letting out an amused snort. "Right, like he was normal in the first place."

"Giving yourself a pep-talk, Ryuku?" an unexpected voice rung in front of him.

Ryuku blinked. He could've sworn he wouldn't make it back to the classroom for at least three minutes. Minutes didn't go by _that _fast. "Ryou, why are you still here?"

His best friend rolled his eyes. "Were you planning on ditching me?"

"I was planning on talking to Mr. Hair Gel," Ryuku said. "Why would I ditch you?"

"Like you've never ditched me before?" Ryou drawled, he quirked an eyebrow. He continued to speak, preventing Ryuku from protesting. "We're still walking home together. I'm capable of waiting. Unlike you, I can be very patient. Just try not to talk too long."

"Believe me. I don't want to stay here too long. I'll go crazy."

"Try not to look like you don't want to be there," Ryou said, noting how tense his best friend was. "Just take it easy. Remember Mr. Hair Gel's just a normal guy, like you and me," the lost boy extended his hand out. "Here, let me take your duffel bag."

"Thanks."

Releasing a deep sigh, Ryuku entered the classroom. As he shut the door behind him, he heard Ryou dropping his bag onto the floor. Hair Gel always had impeccable posture. Even when he was sitting at his desk, Hair Gel sat like a gentlemen. He didn't slouch or stretch out. The teacher was perusing through the papers, magazines, photographs – it looked like there were all sorts variety of _something_ spread across the surface of his desk. Didn't he _ever_ have anything school related to do afterschool? Normal teachers would've been grading tests or their annoying quizzes. Hair Gel was far too engrossed in his work to notice Ryuku's presence.

Ryuku cleared his throat. "Uh, Mr. Hair Gel? Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"That's alright, Saotome. You're timing was perfect," Hair Gel set his glasses down. "I was in the middle of finishing. Please, won't you take a seat?"

It was strange, seeing the classroom so empty. Whenever he arrived at school in the mornings, the majority of the class was already seated with a few late students gradually trickling in. He wasn't fond of being early, despite the ideal student showing up early for the school day. Tentatively, Ryuku slipped into a desk in the front row. He never enjoyed sitting front and center, where everyone had their eyes on you, watching every little move you made, heard every single word you said or could tell every time you breathed. It was unnerving. His normal seat was better. He should've headed for his assigned seat, even if it would've been strange to yell across the room, during their arranged meeting.

Everything was put back into Hair Gel's briefcase. He shut it soundlessly, before he clasped his hands together. "Saotome," he began smoothly. "How are you?"

"… I'm okay."

"That's good to hear," Hair Gel replied. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Uh, yeah," Ryuku said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you for asking."

Their conversation came to an abrupt end. Ryuku fidgeted. It was easier to avoid Hair Gel's stare when he was in his normal seat. "Mr. Hair Gel," Why was he talking? He wasn't supposed to be talking. If Hair Gel asked him something then it was his time to speak. But here he was, initiating something on his own. _Well, it's too late to take anything back now._ He had Hair Gel's undivided attention. "About your, um, comment the other day."

"Yes?"

"What did you mean by that?" Ryuku asked. "About me finally deciding to join the class?"

"Oh, that?" was Hair Gel's reply. He clucked his tongue. "I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but Saotome, I'm afraid I'm not an idiot."

Ryuku's jaw dropped. _W-what was that?_

"Shall we move on?" Hair Gel suggested nonchalantly. "How are you doing in your classes?"

As their discussion dragged on, it turned out the topics Hair Gel had in mind were rather plain. These were the types of talks people had when they were talking to an acquaintance. If this was what every teacher talked about with their students he had absolutely nothing to worry about. He had gotten worked up over nothing. Ryuku released the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. Gradually, he began to calm down.

Or, at least, he remained calm until he heard Ryou scream: "_What the hell are _you _doing here?!_"

"I wonder what that's about," Hair Gel mused. "Didn't that sound like Hibiki?"

"He's probably just getting a little impatient," Ryuku chuckled uneasily. "We're supposed to walk home together."

"He won't have to wait for you much longer. We're almost done here," Hair Gel reopened his briefcase, taking out a manila folder. He flipped the folder open, leafing through the papers inside. "Would you like to see how you did on your quiz today?"

Ryuku warily eyed the door. He could still hear Ryou's voice, despite the lost boy lowering his volume. "Sure."

Hair Gel plucked a sheet of paper out of the folder. "Here you are."

Hurriedly getting on his feet, Ryuku's hand reached out for his quiz. Hair Gel leaned forward, close enough to murmur. "Saotome, allow me to elaborate my earlier statement. What I meant," he paused, slipping Ryuku's paper into the teen's fingers. "Is that I'm not as easily fooled as you might believe."

Ryuku stumbled back a few steps, startled. "Mr. Hair Gel, I –"

"You better go. I don't think you want to keep Hibiki wanting much longer. His patience must be running thin."

"Y-yeah," _Why does he talk so strange? _"You're right."

"I need your quiz back," Hair Gel commented, gesturing towards the paper in Ryuku's hand. "I haven't recorded your score yet."

In response, Ryuku gave a jerky nod, choosing now to look at his grade. Inwardly, he flinched at the failing mark written in angry red ink, and then returned his quiz back to his teacher. "I'll do better next time."

Hair Gel slipped his paper back into the folder. "I never really liked mirrors," the teacher said offhandedly. "You never know what you're really looking at."

Warning bells sounded in Ryuku's head. "W-wha," Ryuku sputtered, both startled and baffled by the man's words. "Do you," the rest of his sentence faded. He couldn't think of a proper way to respond, without fumbling.

"Weren't you about to leave, Saotome?"

Stammering a weak departing message, Ryuku immediately left the classroom. The scene that welcomed him on the other side of the door was, in a way, refreshing than the uneasy atmosphere he'd experienced with Hair Gel. Although, Ryuku wasn't sure if he was pleased with the available alternative: his best friend was currently in the middle of an intense glaring match with Gashu. Since it appeared neither of them was going to budge any time soon, Ryuku bent down to pick his duffel bag off the floor, slinging the strap over his shoulder. The arrival of Gashu had worn off on Ryuku a long time ago, yet he still couldn't shake off the strange feeling of seeing himself interacting with other people. He doubted he'd ever get used to looking back at his own face, girl form or not. Ryuku knew his height was drastically changed as a girl, but was Ryou really that tall when he was in his cursed form? The absurdity of it all was enough to sooth what had just happened with Hair Gel.

It was Gashu who broke away from the glare session first. Her hand thrust out to Ryuku's best friend, who in return threw a suspicious glance her way. "Whaddya say we start over?" the double opted, finally deciding to take a mature route to settle their problem. "Truce, Ryota?"

"If you're going to announce a truce," Ryou began, the corner of his smile twitched. "Don't you think you should call me by my actual name?"

"Okay, how about this?" Gashu gritted out, her own smile twitching. "Truce," she repeated. "You pig squealer?"

"That's very mature," Ryou's hand overlapped Gashu's tiny one. "But I'll accept your truce," he lowered down to Gashu's eye level to add. "It's funny that you'd call me a squealer. All the times we've spoken, I could've sworn you were the one who wouldn't stop whining."

Gashu's grip tightened. "Like you never whine?"

"Not as much as you do, imposter," Ryou tightened his grip. "You're the whiniest whiner in all of Nerima."

"Do you know how stupid that sounded? I thought you were the smart one around here."

"Wow, did you come up with that retort yourself? Or did you look over at someone else's paper?" a smug grip went over Ryou's lip when Gashu's eyes widened. "You think I wouldn't notice something like that? Ryuku would never resort to cheating. You're such a lousy impersonator."

The double hung her head, sniffling.

"What are you doing now? I didn't really hurt your feelings, did I?"

"Y-you're hurting me!" when Gashu lifted her head, Ryuku hadn't thought the double would start crying. Ryou was painfully aware of how dangerous his strength could be. But there were times when Ryou couldn't restrain himself, especially if his emotions were involved. At the moment, Ryuku could actually sympathize with Gashu. He was heavily involved during the period when Ryou had to learn how to control his monstrous strength. "I-I didn't mean to make you m-mad! Honest!"

Ryou dropped Gashu's hand. "I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to hurt you! Does it hurt? Should I take you to the nurse or, crap, maybe the nurse isn't here. How about we go to the clinic?"

Gashu closed the distance between them – perhaps to reassure Ryou she was fine? – And promptly slammed her shoe down on Ryou's foot. A pain yelp echoed in the hallway. Ryou responded back with instinct, swinging his arm to land a hit of his own on the double. However, Gashu was too fast, ducking under Ryou's outstretched arm. With a haughty whoop, she twisted around to stick her tongue out at the fuming lost boy. In the middle of her victory, she bumped into Ryuku. It was then when the pair finally noticed that Ryuku had joined them in the hallway.

"Cherry!" Gashu took hold of Ryuku's uniform, grinning up at him. "What took you so long?"

Ryuku glanced at Ryou, who was hopping towards them. "I see you two are getting along."

"Of course," the double laughed, she slung her arm over Ryou's shoulders. "We're best buds now!"

"Spare me the act," Ryuku said. "I saw everything."

Gashu laughed. "Did you enjoy the show?"

Growing, Ryou removed Gashu's arm off his person and shoved her backwards. "Did everything go okay in there?" he asked his best friend. He blocked Gashu's path, preventing her from further disturbing the two with her unwanted company. "It wasn't anything serious, right?"

"Hey!" All of Gashu's efforts to sidestep Ryou were proving to be unsuccessful. "What'd you guys talk about in there?"

Ryuku covered his mouth, feeling his stomach flip and twist. _They completely distracted me from what happened._ He stared at Gashu. _He _knows_ something. He knows about the _– a hand prodding his uniform jacket startled him. Ryuku's eyes flew to Ryou, who was now clutching his stomach. Gashu must've elbowed him in the gut in order to reach him. Gashu's hand lightly smacked his cheek. "Whoa. You okay? You don't look so good."

"Would you leave him alone?" Ryou snapped, he seized the beanie off Gashu's head, grabbed onto the pigtail and yanked hard. "Maybe he'd feel better if you weren't _slapping _him."

Gashu shot the lost boy a glare, slapping Ryou off her braid. "I'm just seeing if he's okay! What'd you expect me to do? He just clocked out!"

Ryuku looked down at his double as she recovered her beanie. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you asked me to take your shift, which I'm totally gonna do," Gashu assured Ryuku. She carefully adjusted her hair and pigtail, before slipping the headgear back upon her head. "The problem is: I kind of need the uniform."

"Oh," was what Ryuku said, deadpanned. He unzipped his duffle bag, reaching inside to retrieve the waitress uniform. "I forgot about that."

The double waved off his comment. "That's fine," she said, taking the uniform. "It must've slipped your mind. You were probably too busy freaking out about talking to that weirdo. I can understand that. I'd forget things, too."

Suddenly, Ryou reentered the scene. "Wait a second," he interjected. "Don't tell me you're letting that _thing_ go to the Cat Café."

"Hey! Where do you get off callin' me a thing? I'm every amount of person you are, Porky!" Gashu exclaimed indignantly. "Anyway, if you're worried about your pay, I called up the café. Lotion said she'd take care of it. Isn't that girl such a sweetie pie?"

At the mention of the Amazon, Ryou's cheeks flared pink. "If that's the case, I-I'm going with you!"

Gashu blinked, she curiously sized up the flustered boy. "Why?" she cocked her head to peer behind Ryou at Ryuku, mouthing the word: _weirdo_.

Ryuku reminded his friend. "I thought you wanted to go home, Ryou."

Ryou's face fell. "I do, but," he turned to Gashu; a scowl permanently set his lips. "You trust _that_ with your job? What if you get fired?"

"Go stick your nose in a book," Gashu chirped. "I hate to leave, what with all the _fun _we're having, but Ayano's waiting for me."

"You better get going then," Ryuku said dryly. "You don't want to keep her waiting."

Sneaking a sharp jab in Ryou's side, Gashu proceeded to leave the group, but not without saying goodbye. "I'll see you back home, Cherry!"

Now equipped with a pained expression, Ryou held onto his side. "Ayano? Why does that name sound so familiar?" It didn't take him long to figure it out. "This isn't the same Ayano from before, is it? The one you tried to talk to?"

Ryuku crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Fine, you can play dumb," Ryou said, mimicking into Ryuku's stance. "Mind telling me what that was about Saotome? You trust him with your job? You trust him hanging around Lotion?"

"Can we start walking? Don't you want to get home?"

"You can still talk to me while we're walking."

"I'll talk once we're out of here."

**X**

Choosing to stay at Ryou's house for the last few hours was a last minute decision. Ryuku had intended on heading back home right after he'd drop Ryou off. However, his best friend insisted he stay, saying Ryuku needed to catch up on his schoolwork (he hadn't been very thrilled to hear Ryuku hadn't done very well on Hair Gel's quizzes). Ryou's father wasn't home. According to the lost boy, his father hadn't been home for the last three weeks. It wouldn't be until at least two weeks later, when Ryou's mother would pack a bag of needed essentials and look for her husband. Fortunately, Ryou's delightful little brother was absent during his stay at the Hibiki household as well. If Takumi had been, it would've taken Ryou a much long time to persuade his friend to enter the front door. While they studied or goofed off, the smell of okonomiyaki wafted throughout the house.

When the pair opened the door, Ryou's mother was quick to usher teenagers inside, promising a delicious dinner soon. Like the good mother she was, Ukyo invited Ryuku to stay for dinner. With every dinner invitation offered, Ryuku politely turned it down. He never felt comfortable sitting at the Hibiki dinner table, being the only one idly picking at his food, while Ryou and his father wolfed down their meal with such vigor. Ukyo was disappointed at Ryuku's persistence to avoid a home-cooked meal, but she wouldn't let Ryuku leave her home empty handed.

Walking along the streets that would eventually take him home, Ryuku held the container Ukyo had forced into his hands. The okonomiyaki inside was still warm; it was a pleasant feeling on his palms against the cool breeze that followed after the darkening sky above. Turning away from the scenery hanging overhead, Ryuku eyed the fence beside him. For some strange reason, an image of his double darting down the railing invaded his thoughts. His father would walk down fences. Even Lotion did the same thing. Ryuku's lips pursed, as he focused onto the pavement underneath his feet. What was wrong with walking like a _normal_ person?

But his eyes betrayed him, looking back to the fence and then his feet weren't fall behind, a brief pause to his stride. Then his brain supplied the thought, before he quickly squashed it. _No way_, he shook his head. _Walking on the fence doesn't do shit._

He cursed the part of him that had ignored him, still wanting to try. "I don't need to look 'awesome'."

"Yo!"

Ryuku blinked. _And now I'm hearing things_. His walk came to a halt, as he checked his surroundings. There was nothing behind him. He checked his left and right. There was no one on either side of him. It wasn't until he faced back ahead, when he caught his double jogging towards him. Of course, Gashu was on the fence. It looked _awesome_. But Ryuku gawked at him, disbelieving what his eyes were presenting him. His reason for doing so was not due to Gashu being outside. Ryuku knew he wouldn't be home for awhile, what with him taking his shift. The cause of his gawking was because Gashu was no longer in female form.

Gashu leapt off the fence, doing a fancy flip in the air, before he landed on his feet. "I'm glad I saw you Cherry!" the double grinned. "It looks like we can walk home together, best bud!"

"Why aren't you a girl?"

"What kind of greeting is that?" Gashu removed the blue baseball cap off his head, letting his pigtail free. "I know you always change back after work. Today, I wasn't planning on going home as a guy, but I didn't want Lotion's hard work to go to waste. She went out of her way to wash some clothes you left behind," he lifted the front of his shirt, taking a loud sniff. "Mm, it smells just like her! She smells really nice you know."

In response, Ryuku glared at him.

"Jeez, would your relax? It's not like anyone will see us."

"_Fine_," Ryuku hissed, reluctantly. "Let's get going."

Gashu fell into step next to Ryuku. "I'm guessing you stayed at Ryota's house for awhile?"

"I didn't feel like coming home yet."

"That's good," although, once this was said, the double quickly added as an afterthought. "That you were at your buddy's house, not about the home part."

Ryuku shrugged. "I guess. I don't really spend at much time at his place as I used to."

"You should break that habit then. It's good to spend time with your friends," Gashu said. "Speaking of friends, aren't you curious about how things went between me and Ayano?"

There wasn't a moment silence for Ryuku to reflect over his response. "Not really."

"Fine, even if you begged me, I wasn't gonna tell you squat," the double plopped the baseball hat on Ryuku. Having fiddled with the size of the hat, Gashu was able to pull the cap over the top half of Ryuku's face. "I'll just say it was nice."

Ryuku threw the hat back at his double's face. "Are you hungry?"

Gashu moved the headgear under his arm, he patted his belly. "Working does work up quite an appetite."

"Take it," Ryuku thrust the container at his double. "I'm not hungry."

Suspiciously eyeing the white box, Gashu hesitantly accepted it from Ryuku. "You're not trying to poison me, are you?" he joked lamely, but he couldn't fight off a smile. "Thanks! It smells great!"

"It's okonomiyaki, specially made by Ryou's mom."

Gashu ripped open the plastic flaps. He didn't waste any time tearing into some okonomiyaki. Around his mouthful of food, he contently said. "You learn something new every day. I didn't even know she could make this stuff."

Ryuku looked at Gashu, as if he was an idiot (which he was). "Why wouldn't she know how? Okonomiyaki's her specialty."

"Then why the heck is she taking care of pigs?" Gashu asked in bemusement. "She might as well be working at Ucchan's!"

"Considering she _owns_ Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, why wouldn't she work at her own restaurant?"

Gashu's strides gradually slowed down. "Are you telling me that Ryou's ma is," he made a face. "Auntie Ucchan?"

"Are you pretending to be this dense to annoy me or –"

"No! I honestly thought that," suddenly, a groan came from the double. "No wonder Ryou got pissed at me! _Shit!_ I did insult his ma!"

"What are you talking about now?"

"Well, I kind of, uh, you know, assumed Ryou's ma was the same as Ryota's ma," Gashu fiddled with his pigtail. He spun the container on his index finger nervously. "How the heck was I supposed to know this stuff? Back home, Ryota's Pops married… there's nothin' wrong with her. I mean, she's really nice and whatever. She's just kind of… _really_ obsessed with pigs. I mean, she freaking sobbed tears of joy when she found out Ryota got the same curse as his Pops!"

Ryuku sighed. "It's not like you meant to insult his mom. You didn't know."

"That's how he found out about me too," Gashu confessed weakly. "My big mouth was blabbering on and on about his pig loving ma. Ugh, I'm such an idiot."

"Again, you didn't know," Ryuku said. "Are you trying to make me side _against_ you?"

Gashu laughed. "It's weird though, imagining Ryota's Pops with Auntie Ucchan."

"How is it weird?"

"When I was a little kid, Pops used to take me to Ucchan's for some free okonomiyaki," Gashu started, releasing a wistful sigh. "For the longest time, I thought Auntie Ucchan was a guy. She never really dressed up. She wore stuff the guys would wear. Her hair wasn't pretty like Ma's. It was always, I don't know, just up and out of the way? Like she didn't really care about it? Maybe 'cause she was too busy with her restaurant to really care about appearance? Anyway, when I found out she wasn't a guy, it took me awhile to get used to the fact that she was a chick. But she was a really nice lady!"

"What's wrong with her being a tomboy?"

"That's not what I have a problem with," Gashu said. "It's the fact that she's, uh," the rest of his sentence was inaudible.

"Do you really expect me to understand that? Come on, what'd you say?"

"Gay! Lesbian! Whatever!"

Ryuku stared at Gashu, speechless.

Gashu groaned, hastily shoving another okonomiyaki his mouth. "Her wife was really, really pretty," he muttered. "Man, I thought Auntie Ucchan had the best taste! I never told this to Ma, but I thought Auntie Ucchan's wife was a _little_ prettier than her. Just a little. She was kind of… spacey and gave me more than my share of burnt okonomiyaki but she meant well."

"I don't know what to say."

"She was nice to me," Gashu said dreamily. "Whenever I visited Auntie Ucchan's with Ryota, she'd give me extra okonomiyaki when Auntie wasn't looking. It was pretty awesome. Man, what was her name again? Oh! Her name was Konatsu. Yeah, they were a nice couple. Konatsu took Auntie's last name. For obvious reasons, they didn't have any kids. Guess they were happy enough with having me there."

"The next time you see Ryou, you should apologize to him."

"For what?"

"Didn't you just tell me you insulted his mom?" Ryuku asked. "I mean, I know you made a mistake, but," he threw his hands in the air. "I don't know! You unintentionally insulted Mrs. Hibiki!"

"It was an accident! I didn't mean it! I was talking about Ryota's ma!"

Ryuku pinched the bridge of his nose. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just having trouble imagining Mrs. Hibiki having… a wife."

"Now you understand how I feel."

"Let's just talk about something else."

Gashu gasped. "You actually want to talk to me?"

"If we don't talk, I'll keep thinking about," Ryuku groaned. "Just say something. I don't care what it is."

"I'm sorry, Cherry, but my mind's drawing a blank right now and –"

"Call me Cherry one more time and I'll shove that container down your throat."

"Are you trying to start a fight? I am so up for a fight right now!"

Surprisingly, the two carried a rather lengthy conversation all the way back home. Ryuku wouldn't admit it to himself or his double, but he believed that Gashu was capable of being not too annoying at times. If Gashu, somehow, discovered this piece of information he'd let it get to his head. Ryuku inserted his key into front door, ignoring the student grin Gashu wore. Maybe the double was aware of what he was thinking – then again, Ryuku didn't care to find out what was running through Gashu's head. Ryuku rolled his eyes, swinging the door open. He stepped aside to let Gashu inside first. Of course, the gesture wasn't left without comment ("What a perfect gentlemen," the double had quipped). They took off their shoes with Ryuku tossing his on the floor and with Gashu carrying his shoes with him. Still entangled in a heated discussion, the pair was unaware of what or who was expecting them back home. Then again, whoever was home was only expecting _one_ of her sons to return.

Ryuku was enveloped in an affectionate, welcoming embrace. It was then he should've realized, no, he should've _noticed_ his mother's shoes at the entryway. "Ryuku," his mother welcomed her son warmly. "Did I surprise you? They let me come home early today!"

He glanced over his shoulder, while his mother was still momentarily oblivious – the grin on Gashu's face was gone now. _What do I do?_ When Akane began to move away, his hands encircled around her, bringing her close to him. "M-mom," he clenched his eyes, swallowed, hoping it would remove the tremor in his voice. "You did surprise me. Welcome home."

"I'm supposed to welcome you home!" was what his mother was supposed to answer.

But all he was given was a hushed silence.

"Ryuku," his mother's eyes weren't looking at him anymore. She was staring, _gawking_ at Gashu. Her hold on Ryuku tightened immensely. "Am I seeing things right now, Ryuku? P-Please tell me this isn't real."

_What do I do?_

"Why aren't you saying anything?"


	30. Ch 23: Blind to the Truth: P2

**Chapter 23:** Blind to the Truth: Part 2

If there was one thing that Ryuku could take away from all those librarian cliché's, it was that "Silence was golden." When it was quiet, there was no need to initiate small talk. There was no need to bore someone with endless topics no one truly cared for. There was no need to desperately search for something to talk about. It was less of a hassle to simply bask in silence. But this silence was unsettling: no one was talking. He had lost count of how long they stood in the same spot, blankly staring at one another. His mother hadn't taken her eyes off of Gashu. Her gaze was trained on the double, as if she expected something to happen – to be told that she was imagining things.

Ryuku shifted from one foot to the other. Tensions were running high. Someone needed to break the ice soon. If nothing changed, he didn't know what would happen exactly, but it wouldn't be good. Ryuku glanced to the side, keeping his gaze away from his mother and his double. What was he supposed to do? It was inevitable that his mother would discover Gashu. But he couldn't keep Gashu a secret forever, as much as he'd like to. His mother wasn't an idiot. Lately, Ryuku was eating enough for two. How was he supposed to explain that?

"Hey," It was his voice, but it wasn't him. Of course, the silence would be broken by none other than Gashu. If the silence was starting to affect him, it must've been ten times worse for the double, who craved socialization. "Yo," he repeated, using a somber tone, as he tugged at his pigtail. "You okay?"

Scowling, Ryuku flashed the idiot a burning glare. "Do I _look_ okay?"

Gashu flinched under from his glare. "I'm sorry!" he whined. "I don't know what else to say! The silence is killing me!"

Bickering shortly ensued and quickly dissipated much too abruptly. Both of them knew that this childish behavior wouldn't diffuse the situation. Ryuku glanced at Akane. He couldn't imagine was what running through her mind. It wasn't like something like this happened every day, and it was probably bizarre to watch her son and his doppelganger interacting with one another. Whatever words left died on their tongue, as they stared at Akane, waiting for the blank expression she wore to shatter.

Akane cast her gaze downwards. "Tea," was what she murmured. "I need some tea," slowly, she shuffled past them, pausing briefly to ask. "Would you two like some? I'm capable of making a nice cup of tea."

Heaving an uneasy chuckle, Gashu replied weakly. "No, thank you."

With a polite nod, Akane turned to Ryuku, waiting.

Ryuku couldn't look at his mother. "I'm okay."

Wordlessly, they could only watch as Akane left them by themselves. Gashu was still twiddling with his pigtail. "Now what do we do?"

**X**

What they ended up doing was move to the main room. The television could be heard faintly in the background, currently on a channel displaying a provocative game show. It was the type of program Gashu always seemed to enjoy watching. However, the double wasn't watching the TV; he wasn't even facing the television set. He was seated at the table, hunched forward with his arms crossed before him, making whatever facial expression he wore unreadable.

Things weren't getting any better. Adding Akane into the mix didn't change anything. Ryuku's mother entered the main room, walking slow and steady as she carried a tray holding a tea kettle with three cups. Once she was at the table, she placed the tray on the floor. Moving onto her knees, she set an empty cup in front of Ryuku, Gashu and then herself. Carefully, she lifted the kettle and poured a miniscule amount into each cup, before pouring herself some tea of her own. Akane shifted her seated position, taking her time to get comfortable, before she brought her cup to her mouth. She blew onto the warm liquid, quietly taking a small tentative sip.

Ryuku looked at his cup, left untouched, while steam slowly wafted into the air. They had declined her offer, but Akane hadn't taken anything into account. She hadn't listened. Or perhaps, she had been too startled by the situation suddenly thrust into her life – into _all _their lives. Ryuku pressed his lips together, keeping his gaze fixed on the cup. He wouldn't drink it. Why would he? He hadn't asked for it in the first place. It was a waste.

Without warning, Gashu was up on his feet, nearly toppling the table over in his anxiety. "I'm hungry!" he blurted loudly, avoiding eye contact. "E-Excuse me, I'm going to the kitchen to, uh, grab some snacks."

If he had the chance, Ryuku would've protested, but the double was quick to make an abrupt exit. Akane nodded, tracing her fingertip over the rim of her mug. Now, the only people left in the room were the rightful owners of the Saotome household: the mother and son. How fitting.

"Ryuku," Akane spoke softly, her voice small and unsteady.

"Yes?"

His mother lightly put her cup on the table with a soft tap. "How long?" she asked. "How long have you been keeping this – him from me?"

Ryuku took a deep breath. "I'm," he stopped. "I'm not sure."

"He's been here for awhile then."

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. As a suitable answer, he simply nodded.

"Was he here when Megumi visited us?" Ryuku flinched. "That means… you _did_ go to Megumi's wedding, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And while you were there," Akane's voice began to falter. "He was _here_ tricking everyone else, tricking _me_."

"He was supposed to –"

"Where did he come from?" Akane demanded. "How did he get here? He's from that mirror, isn't he? Why is he here? Is he planning something? Is he going to hurt us or – or you? Has he done something to you, Ryuku?"

"I'm not sure about the specifics," Ryuku said. "He's from the mirror but… he's not like the mirror me's were. He hasn't done anything."

"I-I don't understand," she whispered, wrapping her hands around her cup. "I thought everything was okay now. We put them back in the mirror and they can't come back. That's it. It's was over! We were okay now!" her eyes widened. "Aren't we?"

Her grip tightened on the cup. "Ryuku," she breathed. "W-Who was it?"

"What?"

"_Who was it?_" her tone was becoming desperate, nearly bridging on hysterical.

"What are you –"

"Who was spending time with me?" she finally asked, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Who suggested we go out to eat? Who _hugged_ me? Who asked me to help them clean the koi pond? Who," she swallowed, tears threatening to spill down her flushed cheeks. "Who brought me to bed and told me goodnight?" she choked back a sob. "I _need_ to know Ryuku. Are… are we getting better?"

Akane jumped when Ryuku slammed his palms onto the table. "Did you really think things were getting better?" he asked. It was a chore, keeping himself at bay – because the last thing he wanted to do was blow up at her. _Keep calm._ But his emotions had already wrapped around him, as he vehemently continued. "That I, that I was – you just accepted everything, didn't you? You never even bothered to question how I've been acting recently."

"I-I didn't know what to think, Ryuku."

"Let me take you out to dinner, _Ma!_ Let's clean this shithole, _Ma!_ Let's be a happy family, _Ma!_"

"I thought everything was getting –"

"Better?" Ryuku finished flatly. "Well, you couldn't be any more wrong, _mom._"

"I'm sorry, Ryuku," Akane apologized for the umpteenth time. All throughout his childhood he'd heard apologizes and he was sick of it. "I've apologized so many times and I –"

"Saying sorry doesn't do anything!" Ryuku's loud outburst sliced through the rest of Akane's sentence. "It doesn't automatically fix everything and make it all better! It's just a stupid word people overuse over and over again!"

"I didn't mean," his mother reached towards him, however, she stopped herself. Instead, she chose to wrap her arms around herself. Her teeth bit at her bottom lip, she was having trouble keeping her emotions. "I didn't mean to…"

"I'm sorry too," Ryuku said. "I'm sorry you were so gullible that you couldn't tell the difference between your actual son and… someone else," he rose to his feet, starting to exit the room.

Akane called after him. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere," was Ryuku's prompt reply. On his way out, he brushed past Gashu, who'd been standing in the hallway, most likely eavesdropping. From the expression on his face, the double wasn't in a happy mood either.

Gashu wrapped his hand on his bicep, his grip vice-like. "What the hell –"

"I don't want to hear it," Ryuku seethed, shoving Gashu away from him. "You should be happy. I'm letting you near my ma now."

"You're leaving _now?_ Bad timing seems like an understatement," Gashu said. "You can't just leave!"

"Why can't I?" Ryuku countered stiffly. "Didn't you just leave us back there?"

"I was coming back!" Gashu cried. "I needed to gather my thoughts! I couldn't focus in there! If I stayed, you and I both know I would've only made things worse," he shook his head. "You knew I was coming back. If I knew you were going to have another bitch fit, I would've – _should've_ stayed. You're such an asshole."

"I'll come back," Ryuku spat. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go, right?" he didn't bother to hear the double's answer, as he continued to walk down the hallway.

**X**

He didn't care where he was going. Anywhere was better than being stuck at home. The last thing he needed was to deal with something like that. Of course, he was being unfair – as much as he'd refuse to admit, Gashu was right. His choice to leave was not the best of time, but he couldn't stay there. Who knew what'd happen if he stayed for another minute in that suffocating room? Ryuku strolled down the streets, paying very little attention to whatever was occurring around him. He was still dressed in his school uniform. If he'd known he was going to do something like this, he would've changed into something less conspicuous. But he'd dealt with it – drawing peoples' attention – since he wasn't going to return home until he had enough time to relax.

"Hey!"

What a vague exclaim. How did anyone hope to gain anyone's attention when the streets were crowded with people?

"Hey!" they tried again. Whoever they were trying to talk to obviously wasn't going to – "Saotome! I know you can hear me!"

Ryuku's ears perked at the abrupt call of his name. Warily glancing around, a feeling of dread settled low in his stomach when he caught sight of a familiar face. It was an upperclassman, Kohaku Matsumoto, who was two years older than him. He was a third year, at seventeen years old, and used to attend Furinkan High School. Due to a string of "unfortunate" events, Kohaku had no choice but to transfer schools. The upperclassman stood a good inch taller than Ryuku, at five foot ten, his sturdy build covered in a wrinkled uniform which belonged to Hisen High School. With short disheveled brown hair, friendly light brown eyes and pale skin – one couldn't believe Kohaku was a troublemaker. But Ryuku knew more about the boy than just his appearance. He was a manipulator, casting a wide and toothy smile in every direction to easily gain anything his heart desired.

Kohaku tucked his hair behind his left ear, revealing a silver hoop pierced in his earlobe. "It's been while, huh?" he greeted, grinning. "How long has it been since we've last seen each other?"

"I don't know," Ryuku said. "I haven't bothered to keep track after you transferred schools, Matsumoto."

Kohaku's grin stretched even wider. His upper lip curled, showing perfectly straight teeth. "You wound me so. Can't you show some respect to your elders?" the older boy teased. "It doesn't matter. You can make it up to me by buying me some lunch," he glanced up at the approaching night sky. "It'll be a _late _lunch. Come on, it'll be fun. We've got a lot to catch up on."

Letting out an indignant scoff, Ryuku folded his arms across his chest. "Cut the crap, I'm not in the mood for this. So, stop acting like we were ever friends."

"How can you say that?" Kohaku's wounded gasp was horribly over exaggerated. He cupped his hands over his heart. "We've hung out plenty of times."

"By hang out do you mean: you following me around and pestering me?"

Kohaku's laughter annoyed him. "Have you forgotten all those times you ditched Hibiki?" he asked. "Who I could've sworn was your _best_ friend in all of Nerima, to hang out with me and the guys? If that doesn't make us friends then, tell me, what does?"

During Ryuku's first year of middle school, he had spent the majority of the year in solitude. Several months prior to making such a significant shift, he'd stained patches of grass at the park a dark red. Sometimes, his palms were still slathered from the endless red seeping everywhere. Nauseating crunching noises (of bones breaking, snapping) reiterated in his ears, in his mind. By that point, his reputation was already tarnished – he had just been handed the mantle of Bloody Knife Saotome. He couldn't tell anyone what really happened. What would they think of him? He couldn't tell his best friend. Ryou wouldn't understand. He'd judge him. He'd think he was a monster. He'd look at him with fear in his eyes like Megumi. They wouldn't be best friends anymore.

But then one day out of the blue, while he was curled up in a secluded area on the school field, his isolation was intercepted by Kohaku and his friends. Ryuku didn't turn them away. He was curious about them. They were third years and he was a lowly first year. Why would they want to spend time with him? It was true; he'd ditch Ryou to hang out with the older kids. But it was a phase that didn't last very long. It wasn't long before Ryuku discovered the actual reason why Kohaku became interested in him. It didn't help that they were constantly pushing Ryuku to participate in sketchy activities whenever they'd get together.

"That was different," Ryuku said, calmly. "We were in middle school then. We barely saw each other when you actually went to Furinkan. Not that I'm complaining."

"Say whatever you want," the older boy waved his hand dismissively. "The point, Saotome, is that you _liked_ hanging out with us. Admit it."

"That was before I knew what kind of shit you were involved with."

Kohaku scoffed. "Don't act like you're any better."

"How should I act then?" Ryuku baited irritably. "I forgot how gullible you were. You probably still are, since you believe every damn thing you hear from people."

"There's no need to get moody," Kohaku said. "I'm just saying the offer's still out there. It'll always be there for you, Saotome. That just proves how much of a nice guy I am. It shows how much our friendship means to me."

"Why don't you save us some time and quit bothering me?" Ryuku suggested firmly. "You already know what my answer is."

"That could always change," Kohaku chirped in a sing-song voice. "You used to turn down my offers to hang out, obviously that changed until you started ignoring your pals again."

"Why wouldn't I ignore you guys? You do the stupidest shit!" Ryuku bristled. "Stop clumping me together with your stupid gang. I'm not like you and I'll never be like you. So, would you please leave me the hell alone?"

"So it's true isn't it?" Kohaku snapped; his façade finally shattering and revealing his hidden intentions. His once friendly grin twisted into a nasty sneer, his true self emerged from the shadows luring a naïve first year back into its clutches. "You're in cahoots with Sugiyama, aren't you? Figures he'd dig his claws into you. That's so unfair! We, _I _talked to you first! You were supposed to be with me! I let you hang with us. I was the best thing in your life."

Ryuku pinched the bridge of his nose. The last time Kohaku ranted at him like this (_"Why don't you want to hang out with us anymore, Saotome? You can't just ditch us! We're friends now!"_), Ryuku had struck him across the face. When the older boy landed on the ground, he'd panicked at the droplets of blood on his knuckles and scampered off like a coward. Kohaku turned out alright; the only damage he'd received from their short-lived tussle was a black eye.

"I don't need to deal with this bullshit right now," Ryuku grunted lowly, speaking more to himself than Kohaku. "I'm leaving."

"Saotome, it doesn't have to be like this, you know," Kohaku started, quickly regaining his composure. Once again, he was all smiles and sunshine. "All those rumors and junk only got worse, right? Well, all those assholes can just fuck off! They aren't worth your time. You should try transferring to Hisen. It's better there. No one gives a shit about who you are. You can start all over again, and hey, I'm there too! Everything could be just like old times. Doesn't that sound so much better than that shithole Furinkan?"

"Kohaku!" someone cried hysterically, preventing Ryuku from giving his answer. "Kohaku, we've got a problem!"

A small group of three ran up to them. The Ryuku eyed what they were wearing in distaste. No doubt the group was with Kohaku, given the Hisen uniforms they all wore. Every tear, button unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up, collars popped was a clear violation of the schools' dress code, but that wasn't what made Ryuku's blood boil. It was the wristband on their biceps, displaying the image of a bloody knife. According to Kohaku, _no one_ knew who Bloody Knife Saotome was at Hisen. What a bunch of bullshit. Not only was Kohaku a master manipulator but he was also constantly spreading lies. Somewhere along the way, Ryuku had become the spokesperson or poster boy for Kohaku's gang.

Kohaku's group of minions looked like complete idiots. Judging from how much older they appeared, Ryuku assumed one or two of them had failed their grade several times. The tallest of the three, tugged at his obviously dyed lime green Mohawk, as he had trouble catching his breath. His face blanched when he noticed Kohaku wasn't alone. "S-Saotome," he stammered. "We, uh, didn't see you there. Did we interrupt somethin' important?"

"Does it matter? Just spit it out, dumbass," Kohaku demanded, stepping towards the Mohawk. "What was the problem that you had to butt in?"

Gulping air, Mohawk weakly uttered. "It's the arcade."

Frowning, Kohaku lightly smacked Mohawk upside the head. "Did one of you guys break another machine? My dad told me he wasn't gonna pay for another one."

"We didn't do anything!" another minion, he was the lankiest one among them, cried. "Well, sort of!"

Kohaku shoved Mohawk back a few steps, turning his attention all on Lanky. "Then what is it?"

Lanky's head lowered. He actually looked ashamed. "Some kid's starting some trouble."

"How is that a problem?" Kohaku snorted. "Just kick him around a little and give him a warning. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"That's the thing," the shortest minion, who was bald and had the burliest build, said. "He's kicking our asses!"

Kohaku's eyes narrowed into slits, he snatched hold of Baldy's uniform jacket. "What the hell are you saying?" he snarled, violently shaking him around. "Is this some kind of stupid joke? How can a stupid kid be giving us trouble? You guys know who we are, right?"

"We're telling the truth Kohaku!" Mohawk exclaimed pathetically. "I swear we're being honest! We wouldn't joke about this!"

Muttering under his breath, Kohaku shook his head. "I can't believe this," he growled, letting go of Baldy to roughly push him away. "Fine, fine, you guys got my attention now. What's," he brushed his palm over his face, groaning. "What's this kid look like? Do we know him?"

"He's not one of Sugiyama's," Lanky stated, spitting out the surname like it was poison. "I don't think we've ever seen him before."

"He's short," Mohawk said.

"_He's_ short," Kohaku said, flicking Baldy's forehead. "How about telling me something useful?"

"We know he goes to that middle school," Baldy's face scrunched up, as his fist furiously hit his hairless head. "From, what the heck was it – Chuushinten! Yeah, he's wearing a Chuushinten's uniform! He's wearing a hoodie under the jacket, using the hood to hide his face. Guess he's scared we'd find out who he is."

"Aside from the fact that: he's apparently kicking your asses?" Ryuku couldn't help but quip.

Ryuku's comment was ignored as Kohaku continued to speak. "Alright, so, what you guys are telling me is that: you have no idea who he is?"

"I think he might've had something around his neck," Mohawk said. "Like a collar or something?"

"Wha," he bit his lip, keeping the rest of his question to himself. _Of course, the brat would be the one causing trouble. But why would he bother with _these _guys?_

Heaving a sigh, Kohaku tilted his head back, setting his jaw. "Guess we'll have to put the kid in this place then," the older boy began to leave with the group; however, he stopped to look over his shoulder at Ryuku. "You want to tag along, Saotome? It'll be just like old times."

Ryuku's lips curled into a frown. "Yeah, I'll go," he reluctantly responded. "But just to check something out."

"Of course, no problem," Kohaku agreed, nodding. "If you feel like changing your mind and, like, want to jump in on the action – I sure as hell won't stop you."

Fortunately for Ryuku, the distance from their current location to the arcade was close enough that Ryuku wouldn't have to stay with the group for too long. Upon arrival, it appeared that a commotion had occurred during their absence. The entrance to the arcade, two large glass doors displaying the arcade's name in bright colorful letters, was broken beyond repair. Shards of glass decorated the concrete and inside the arcade hadn't faired any better. Machinery was busted in and there were sizable dents in the walls. There was no doubt about it. The brat was here. Ryuku kept a reasonable distance from Kohaku and his loyal followers. It wouldn't look very good for him it anyone thought they were associated in some way. Kohaku shoved past the fuming arcade owner, who was demanding someone pay for the extensive damages done to his property.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Kohaku glared at the owner. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you, buddy," he snapped. "If you wanna bitch to someone, you know my dad's number. Now, I know my friends didn't just vanish out of thin air. Where the hell did they go?"

Without warning, another one of Kohaku's ran into the arcade, battered and bruised. "K-Kohaku!" he called out. "Thank God you're finally here!"

"What _happened_ to you?" Kohaku gasped, tentatively reaching out towards the boy's bloodied face. "That kid didn't do all this, did he?"

"We need all the help we can get! We moved around the back," the boy croaked weakly. "We thought we'd have a better chance if we were on our own turf."

They exited the arcade, swiftly circling around the building to swift through considerably sized hole found in a flimsy barbed wire fence, which led them to an empty back alley. Ryuku was familiar with the alleyway. He'd been brought here multiple times, after witnessing shop lifting, petty theft and just to have a fun tussle every now and then. It was the perfect spot to house rowdy teenage boys to fight to their hearts content, without attracting any attention from any unwanted parties. However, the alley was currently occupied with a handful of Kohaku's gang members. All of whom were spread out on the dirt like tattered remnants in a battlefield. Standing in the middle of the carnage was the kid in question. Like Kohaku's minions had dutifully explained, the kid was dressed in a Chuushinten uniform. Covering the majority of the kid's face was the hood of a dark blue hoodie he wore underneath his uniform jacket. The few lights in the alley rained down on the kid – a glimpse of silver flashed off his neck, signifying his silver studded collar.

No one bothered to talk. Kohaku wasn't in the mood to listen to reason. The gang leader had stumbled upon his gang getting bested by a middle schooler. The sight probably didn't do much for his ego. With a simple gesture, Kohaku's group charged ahead of him, rushing towards the brat like a starving pack of wolves. They crowded him backing him into a grimy brick wall. Their difference in height was evident. Ryuku couldn't even see the brat's head anymore.

"He's got nowhere to run," Kohaku boasted smugly. "We've got him. All we had to do was corner him."

Ryuku kept his mouth shut. If Kohaku was going to ignore the sheer amount of his gang Takumi had beaten, he wasn't going to mention it. Let him live in his ignorance.

The first attack was initiated by Baldy, a powerful punch – if it had connected with its target, it would've no doubt caused a great deal of damage. A pained howl sliced through the air, as Baldy's fist collided with the solid wall where Takumi once stood. The brat was quick, Ryuku was surprised he had seen it; he'd kneed Mohawk in the groin. While Mohawk was doubled over in pain, Takumi had taken the opportunity to hop on his back and bounce off of him, thus effortlessly dodging Baldy's punch. He landed behind Baldy, who clutched at his broken hand as his wails echoed throughout the alleyway. Takumi planted his foot on Baldy's back, forcing him forward and pinning him onto the wall. The brat sneered at Lanky, who'd at the moment remained untouched. A malicious grin flitted over Takumi's lips; he leaned forward pressing the majority of his weight onto the burly boy. He lifted his foot off of Baldy's back. A relieved sigh came from the older boy. However, the sigh was cut short when Takumi delivered a roundhouse kick to the back of the boy's head. Baldy fell to the ground with a loud thump, a splatter of blood spread on the wall.

Terrified, Lanky spun on his heels and made a run for it. But the brat was faster; he kicked the boy's legs from under him, sending him flailing downwards. Takumi kicked him several times in the stomach, switching each kick with either leg. On unsteady feet, Mohawk approached Takumi from behind. The brat laughed, facing the last minion standing once Lanky coughed up a mouthful of blood. Startled, Mohawk staggered back a step, covering his stomach with his arms. Takumi cackled lowly, his hands were safely tucked into his pockets.

_The brat hasn't thrown a single punch, _Ryuku noted.

He'd mainly used his legs to strike back at his opponents. "Matsumoto, you can still," Ryuku said, realizing a tad too late that Kohaku already left his side. "Get out of this."

Kohaku threw a right hook at the back of Takumi's head. "You shitty asshole," he snarled. "Do you realize who you're fucking with, you fucking brat?!"

Takumi ducked, stepping backwards into Kohaku to jolt upright and smash the top of his head into Kohaku's jaw. "A bunch of weaklings?" he tittered, viciously jabbing Kohaku's in the stomach. Kohaku collapsed on top of the brat, out cold within seconds. Clucking his tongue, Takumi tossed Kohaku off of him.

"What are you doing?"

"Do I hear the moron?" Takumi asked aloud, checking over his shoulder to meet Ryuku's cold glare. "You're asking me what _I'm_ doing. I was minding my own business, until these jerks decided to pick on me. Can you believe that? A bunch of big mean high schoolers picked on me. I'm just a helpless little middle schooler. What'd I ever do to them?"

"You're saying," Ryuku couldn't believe this. "You're saying they started it?"

"Of course, they did!" Takumi scoffed, yanking down his hood to reveal his tousled head of hair. "I didn't go to the arcade looking to start some fights. It's not my fault they decided to make me their piggybank."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"I'm being honest," the brat drawled matter-of-factly. "If I _did_ want to start something, I wouldn't go looking around there. I don't even like the arcade."

"You must suck at the games, huh?" Ryuku taunted. "Guess you have something in common with Ryou after all. He never liked going to the arcade either, because he sucked."

Takumi's posture became rigid. "Now, I get it," he sneered. "Why else would you be hanging around a bunch of weaklings? You wanted to feel strong for once. Is this how you spend your free time, moron? Running around with a bunch of losers?"

"If you weren't looking to start a fight, why'd you bother to hide your identity?"

"Unlike you, moron, I like to keep a low profile," Takumi remarked snidely. "If they knew what I looked like, they'd know what to expect from me. Now that's not very fun, is it?"

"You're not making any sense," Ryuku said. "That makes it sound like you _knew_ something was going to happen."

Takumi snorted. "This isn't complicated," he said. "I came here with a purpose that much is true. Did I know that I'd be in a smelly alleyway, wasting my time on pathetic losers? No. Did I know said pathetic losers were going to start something with me? No. Was I going to turn them down? _No._"

"You already knew they wouldn't stand a chance," Ryuku said. "Why'd you even bother? You could've just walked away."

"Why do you think I did it?" Takumi spat. "I needed to blow off some steam."

"That's a weird way to 'blow off some steam'. What got you riled up?"

"None of your business," was Takumi's retort. "These weaklings weren't worth the trouble. I would've been better off using a punch dummy."

Ryuku shook his head. "You're a real piece of work."

Takumi crossed his arms behind his head. "_You_ could've done something," he pointed out. "All you did was, well, nothing. Did you stay to the sidelines, because you didn't want to have another field trip to the hospital? Anyway, I better head home," Takumi walked past Ryuku. "You better get out of here, before you get caught. I promise I won't tell anyone I saw Bloody Knife Saotome beating some thugs. After all, I'm just a normal middle schooler."

The brat pulled his hood over his head. "I'm lucky I got away, while I still had the chance," he laughed. "See you later, moron!"

**X**

As he stepped inside the house, the first thing he was greeted with was darkness. A faint flicker of light was on further down the hallway. A dejected sigh breezed past his lips, he had left to get his mind off things, to properly level his head with their current situation, but leaving hadn't achieved anything – it only gave him more issues to sort through.

Ryuku turned to face the front door, closing the door soundlessly. He dropped his head forward, lightly thumping his forehead on the cool wood of the door. _It's not __like I don't have _enough_ things to deal with._

"Have a good night?" a voice quipped in the darkness.

Ryuku's grip on the doorknob tightened, he refused to admit that Gashu had startled him. Apparently, his double had picked up the habit of appearing out of nowhere. _He_ could never walk around without making a single sound. After a few beats, Ryuku faced his double.

"Good enough," Ryuku finally answered, bending over to take off his shoes. He tossed them with the countless other pairs littering the entryway. Without muttering another word, Ryuku walked past Gashu, who immediately went after him.

Gashu launched another statement his way. "Me and your ma had a lovely talk after you left."

Ryuku glared behind him, he wasn't going to latch onto Gashu's bait. The double could complain all he wanted, he wouldn't react. He focused ahead of him, cramming his hands into his pockets, while increasing his speed.

"I thought it was going to be _really_ awkward," Gashu drawled, nonchalantly. He sped up, going past Ryuku further up the hallway. "But everything turned out perfectly fine. I think it great idea that you left. Otherwise, you would've probably made a giant scene and make everything a million times worse!"

Gashu came to a halt, whirling towards Ryuku. "Oh, wait a sec!" he gasped mockingly, poking his finger on Ryuku's chest. "That's exactly what you did!"

"You ran away first, coward."

"You're calling _me_ a coward?" Gashu snorted, propping his hand onto his hip. "Didn't you do the exact same thing?"

Ryuku scowled, he shoved Gashu aside and continued walking. As usual, the double was annoyingly persistent, completely unfazed by Ryuku's shove. The fact that Gashu didn't appear to be fazed by anything furthered Ryuku's irritation.

"You wanna know what really happened when you blew your ma off?" Gashu questioned. He didn't allow a moment to pause, to allow Ryuku to give a reply. By now, they both knew Ryuku wouldn't say a word. "We looked at each other for about a minute. Then she excused herself and went to her room – which by the way is where she's been ever since you ditched us – she hasn't come down for dinner or to check when you'd be coming back. She stayed where she was."

Without warning, Ryuku lost his footing. _That bastard just tripped me! _Staggering a few steps forward, in the middle of his attempt to regain his balance, he found himself roughly slammed against the wall. Biting down on his lip, he swallowed down the pained groan threatening to leave his mouth. _Shit, that hurt._

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get away. It was pointless. Gashu kept him in place, grasping fistfuls of his uniform jacket.

Gashu using _his_ chilling glare was eerily unnerving. "I'd never treat my own mother like that," he said, his tone clipped. "Boy, you not saying anything is starting to piss me off. Your whole ignore me shtick is really _pissing me off_."

Inwardly, Ryuku was snarling strings of curses, screaming at everything and everyone. _Why am I such a weakling? I should be able to push this asshole off and beat him to the ground. I should've taught that brat a stupid lesson! I can't do anything! _He was beyond the point of frustration. Through clenched teeth, Ryuku hissed. "Just say what you want so you can leave me the hell alone."

Gashu's chuckle held a menacing quality. "Nothing ever gets past you, does it?" he said. "I figured since you had a chance to run off and, you know, do your own thing, I think I should be allowed the same privilege."

When Gashu backed away from him, Ryuku took a step forward, only to be given a hard push back. "I was thinking about my new favorite girlfriend, Ayano," he said. "I already told her we could hang out tomorrow. Sounds like a fun time, right? Unfortunately, I guess that means you're gonna have to go back to work."

Ryuku's hands balled into fists. "That's fine," he gritted out. "I don't care what you do."

"The feeling's mutual, buddy. Have fun at work," Gashu told him, he strolled briskly up the corridor, a slight skip in his step. "Make sure to tell Lotion, I said 'hi'."

Sighing, Ryuku eyed the spot where Gashu had pinned him not too long ago. His fingernails bit into his palms. What was he supposed to do now? Punch the wall? He shook his head. _Would that make me feel better? _He scuffed his foot on the floor, before walking further inside the dimly lit household. Soon, he'd be back holed up in his bedroom, where no one bothered him and all he was given was silence.

_Nothing makes me feel better._

**X**

According to the sign posted next to the entrance, it wasn't close to the shop's closing hours. Yet the lack of customers or the dimmed lights inside was alarming. The doors were unlocked. Tentatively, Akane entered the building. She surveyed the store, despite having already visiting before. The modest sized shop was kept in proper condition. It was clean, not sparkling or spotless by any means, but it was clearly tended to when necessary. The shelves were fully stocked with various items, most of which Akane was unfamiliar.

No one was at the register. Anyone could simply come inside and rob the place. She stood at the counter, glancing around for any sign of another person. "Hello?"

It was disheartening, when all she given in return the same stillness she was greeted with when she entered. She was about to leave, until she heard someone saying her name. "Akane?"

Faint shuffling came from the back room, which was when Akane saw the door had been left ajar. Emerging from his hiding place, Mousse stood in the doorframe. Akane could understand the startled expression he wore. She hadn't expected to return to the Amazon's magic store. Even when he joined Akane at the counter, seeing her standing right in front of him, his expression remained. In a way, Mousse's shock was refreshing, almost comical – nostalgic. The Amazon was always quite open with his emotions, effortlessly confessing his feelings towards the woman who was now his wife.

"I-It's good to see you again, Akane," Mousse gave her a small smile. "What brings you to the Magic Goose today? Have you decided to dabble in magic yourself?"

With a small tired laugh, Akane returned Mousse's smile. "Mousse, it's nice to see you, too," she murmured. "Do you still have that book? The one that had information about… you know."

For a moment, confusion added in his disbelief, but then realization flashed in his eyes. "Of course, I do. I have it around here somewhere," he replied. "May I ask why you need it?"

His smile faltered, he plucked his glasses off, retrieving a handkerchief from his apron to wipe the lenses. "Ah, that was awful nosy of me, wasn't it? You don't have to tell me the reason. I respect your privacy, Akane."

"I just need to check something," was Akane's reply.

"Alright," Mousse said. "I left it in the back. Let me get it for you."

Shortly, the Amazon returned with the same large battered book in his hands. The scene was eerily familiar. However, there wasn't nearly as much tenseness as last time. Her son wasn't in any danger. Or at least she _hoped_ he was safe. There was another son living under her roof after all.

"Here you are," Mousse placed the book on the counter. "I don't know what else you'll get from it."

Immediately, she leafed through the pages, desperately searching for information. She needed answers. When she landed on the page, she concealed her relieved sigh, the faded image of the mirror stared at her. The wretched object had mysteriously disappeared after everything had been fixed. Part of Akane was thankful; the mirror was gone forever, but something nagged at her in the back of her mind. What if everything wasn't better?

The object was called the Mirror of Consequences. How did consequences come into play? Were the users condemned in some way? Genma had looked into the mirror first, had started everything – yet everything was happening to her son. Akane peered closer to the book, her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn't read anything.

"Would you like me to read it for you?"

Akane leaned back, shaking her head. _You _knew_ it was in Chinese, idiot. Why'd you think it'd be different now?_ "T-That's okay," she nipped at her bottom lip, sniffling softly. "It's not like I haven't heard it already."

"Is there something wrong, Akane?" the Amazon sounded genuinely concerned. "Did something happen?"

"I'm not sure," she whispered, moving to close the book. She couldn't look at the image printed on the page, mocking her and her family.

"You don't have to worry about the mirror anymore," he told her. "We took care of it, remember?"

"There's nothing here," Akane said, lowering her head. "Nothing."

Her head jerked up, when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Akane stared at Mousse's hand. "Are you alright?" Mousse asked, his voice still holding his concern for her. "You look like you haven't eaten. If you want, I could close up the shop and we could go grab something to eat."

The last time she went out to eat, she'd foolishly believed her son had taken her out. Yet he was so kind, so caring, and friendly. His grin and laughter was so like Ryuku. But he wasn't Ryuku. He wasn't _her_ Ryuku.

"I know we were never close," Mousse voice cut into her thoughts. "But that doesn't mean we can't change things now. We can be friends, Akane."

"I-I'm sorry, Mousse," Akane rasped weakly, brushing the tears forming in her eyes. "Maybe another time would be better. I have to go."

The comforting weight on her shoulder was removed, as she spun on her heels and ran to the exit. Unexpectedly, someone stepped inside the store, unfortunately in Akane's vision of retreat. Akane, quick on her feet, managed to avoid a collision. Too consumed by her emotions, she stumbled out a short apology and left.

Behind her, she head Mousse greeting the customer. "Hello, sir! Welcome to the Magic Goose."

**X**

It was crowded at the shopping centre. All sorts of people were spending the day either shopping or hanging out. Families could be seen. Groups of friends darted about, laughing and enjoying their youth and company. Couples could be spotted, linking hands or exchanging kisses. In the middle of it all, Gashu was sharing a bench with Ayano, each girl holding a frozen treat. Gashu licked at the pink streak rolling down her ice cream cone. The deliciously cool sweet taste dancing in her mouth was great. It certainly brightened up her mood after what had happened last night. Plus, today was a lucky day. She'd managed to score a third scoop of ice cream free of charge. Smacking her lips together, Gashu noticed her companion wasn't as enthusiastic about her frozen treat. Ayano had politely turned down her own free scoop, despite Gashu's insistence. Ayano idly poked at the melting scoop in her cup, as she'd preferred it to the cone. A small frown tugged at Ayano's lips.

What a strange change. Moments before when she had picked up Ayano from Furinkan, the girl was ecstatic, practically bonkers with utter joy. At the moment, Ayano was acting very ladylike, sitting nice and proper, and taking small bites. To the best of her abilities, Gashu mimicked Ayano's posture but it was difficult. Slouching was much easier. Ayano let her plastic spoon settle in the cup, picking up a napkin from her lap to dabble at the corners of her mouth.

"So," Gashu began, after swallowing a mouthful of ice cream. "How are things going between you and Togo?"

It didn't take much to make the girl flustered, but it was endearing how red her cheeks became. A shy smile played over her lips. "Even though we've been together for awhile now," Ayano stared down at her lap, cradling the cup with both her hands. "I still can't believe I have a… boyfriend."

"Is he your first?"

"Um, yes, he is."

Gashu giggled at how tense the poor girl was. If she became this troubled from a mere mention of her boyfriend, who knew how she'd react if she asked about kissing. _Hmm, that's a tempting thought, but I don't want to give her a heart attack. _"That's cute."

Ayano glanced at the double, bemused. "Is it?"

"It's adorable!" Gashu confirmed cheerfully. "I remember my first, uh, _boyfriend_. She, uh, _he _was really," _Curvy_, her brain supplied unhelpfully. "Nice."

"Togo's nice," Ayano spoke so softly Gashu almost didn't catch it. The next thing from Ayano was spoken much louder. "You've probably had a lot of boyfriends. You're so pretty. I wouldn't be surprised if boys confessed to you all the time."

"I've been in a few relationships," _More than plenty_. "But just because I'm pretty doesn't mean they were all happy-go-lucky," Gashu bumped their shoulders together, mindful of the droplets of ice cream dropping from her cone. "You should give yourself some slack. You're pretty darn cute yourself."

Ayano's cheeks were stained pink. "You don't have to say that."

"Don't cut yourself short! Togo's a lucky guy, nabbing a sweet girl like you," Gashu bit off a sizable chunk from her second scoop. "It's a shame he couldn't find the time to hang out with us. Third wheeling with you guys isn't so bad."

When she went to meet Ayano, she'd expected to find Togo attached to her side, keeping her close to him. In all honesty, Gashu didn't mind Ayano's boyfriend. The few times she saw him, he seemed like a decent guy. Of course, Gashu wasn't blind. She was aware the majority of girls at Furinkan were infatuated with the guy. Aside from the countless admirers, he was generally well-liked by the student population. In other words, Togo was the complete opposite of Ryuku. Togo could've had anyone he wanted. But in the end, he picked Ayano and chose her to be his girlfriend. They were a happy couple, which was always a good thing to see. If things had been different, Gashu wouldn't doubt the two of them could've been great friends.

"He already had plans for today," Ayano shifted her spoon through her half-eaten chocolate chip ice cream. "All he's been talking about was this party his friends were having. He's so excited about it. I didn't want to be the one to ruin his happiness."

"Why didn't you go with him?" Gashu asked. "I would've understood. I don't want to keep you from your boyfriend."

"That's alright," Ayano offered her a light smile. "I enjoy spending time with you, Ryoko."

Gashu cocked her head to the side. "Are you meeting up with him later at the party?"

Ayano's smile withered away. "No. I'll probably just go home after this."

"It'll probably be a lot of fun!"

"I wouldn't be very comfortable," Ayano confessed, shrugging. "He'll be surrounded by all his friends. I feel like an outsider around them. They don't really talk to me. It's like I'm not there, even when I'm standing right in front of them. Togo tells me not to worry, that they'll warm up to me eventually, but I…" she trailed off, biting her lip. She shook her head, forcing on a smile. "What about you, Ryoko? I-I'm sure your boyfriend is lucky."

Gashu's grin drooped. _Something's wrong._ "You think so?"

"You have a lot of qualities I admire," Ayano's smile formed into a genuine one, as she continued. "You're pretty, friendly, confident, brave – I could go on and on about how much I admire you, but I don't want to bore you. But, yes, I do think your boyfriend's lucky."

"Stop making me seem like I'm perfect," Gashu nudged her arm gently. "I've got flaws too, you know. Everyone does."

"I know," Ayano sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryoko, I –"

"Don't apologize," Gashu interrupted. "You say you admire me? Well, Ayano, there's plenty of things about you I like."

"Y-You're just –"

"No, I'm not just saying that. There aren't many girls like you and I have a feeling – no, I _know_, you're a really cool chick."

Ayano's mouth closed, she began to fidget.

"There aren't many girls who can put up with my brother's rotten attitude," Gashu said offhandedly. "But, guess what, you did! He's a difficult guy, believe me, but you didn't let that get to you. That just proves how confident and brave _you_ are."

"Ryoko," Ayano said, setting her cup of neglected ice cream next to her. "I don't mean to be rude, but can we please change the subject?"

"O-Okay," Gashu winced, she brought her melting treat to her mouth. "What do you want to talk about?"

Ayano clasped her hands together on her lap, she twiddled her thumbs. "You already know about Togo," she said. "Why don't you tell me about your boyfriend?"

**X**

They were slow eaters, but it finally looked like they on their way out the door. Still, Ryuku didn't budge from where she stood, not until she saw the tip placed on the table. Once those bills were set down, Ryuku set to work, moving to the table and setting dirty bowls and dishes on a tray. She slapped a damp rag on the tabletop, wiping the cloth in vigorous circular motions – all the while watching the register. Usually, Lotion manned the register, but as rush hour died down the hectic activity both inside and outside the restaurant slowed down. Rush hour had ended about half an hour ago. There were enough empty tables left that customers could seat themselves. The dishes on the tray clattered loudly when someonebrushed over her backside.

Without a second thought, Ryuku jabbed her elbow back. A satisfied smirk quirked over her lips at hearing a pained grunt in return. Feigning a concerned look, Ryuku glanced over her shoulder at the customer behind her. "I'm _so_ sorry, sir!" she cried. "I didn't see you there!"

Sputtering nonsense, the perverted jerk left the establishment. Rolling her eyes, Ryuku returned to the task at hand, while she tucked her tip into her apron. As she finished, she gave the table a quick look over, before getting the tray and making way for the kitchen. On her way, the bell above the door jingled. Part of the job was to greet the customer and make them feel welcomed.

Forcing on a smile, Ryuku faced the entrance. "Welcome to the –" her grip loosened and the tray nearly toppled to the floor.

Behind Ryuku, the door to the kitchen swung open and a chipper welcome filled the air. "Welcome to the Cat Café!" it was Lotion. "Please find a seat sir and we'll be right with you!" the Amazon was at Ryuku's side within seconds. "Is something wrong, Ryuku?"

Jerkily, Ryuku shook her head. "I-I'm fine," she muttered, leaving Lotion for the kitchen.

She placed the dishes in their designated tubs; water was steadily pouring on the dirty dishes. Ryuku wasn't on cleaning duty, so she moved to stack her tray with the others. She rubbed her palms on her apron, wiping away the grime and sweat. For a moment, Ryuku looked over to the door, before she looked to the door leading to the back alley. _I need some fresh air_. After making a stealthy retreat to the alleyway, Ryuku allowed herself to fall onto the wall behind her. _What the heck is _he_ doing here?_ She bit her thumbnail. _Why am I freaking out? It's not like he _knows_ who I am. He's probably just hungry… or likes to ogle at girls like any other guy._

Ryuku gave herself some time to calm down, before stepping back into the kitchen. Of course, a certain Amazon must've noticed her disappearance and was waiting for her return. Lotion closed the distance between them, reaching to touch Ryuku. But she stopped, instead fiddling with the string on her apron. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Why don't we wait tables together, again?" Lotion suggested. "We had a lot of fun last time."

_I'm sure you did have a lot of fun with the asshole. _"We don't need to do that," Ryuku said. "It's not rush hour anymore."

"That doesn't mean we can't work together. Come on, _Ryoko_, you can trust me, right? We are co-workers after all."

"Fine but just this once, got it?" _It'll get Hair Gel's attention off of me._

Lotion squealed in delight, clinging onto Ryuku's arm. "Oh! I'm so happy!"

"Co-workers don't get _that_ excited about working together," Ryuku reminded the grabby Amazon, before taking her arm back. "Let's get to work."

They left the kitchen faster than Ryuku would've liked, but it wasn't like she could hide in there forever. She still had a job to do. Warily, Ryuku looked at the back of Hair Gel's head. He was seated away from the other patrons, idly looking through a menu. At school, he was as anal as ever, remaining consistent with his need to throw quizzes at his students. Ryuku wasn't even in the class filled with all the smart kids. Aside from Ryou, everyone in Ryuku's class was average. Lotion bounced over to the teacher taking out a notepad and pen from her apron. Ryuku could never understand how the Amazon could have such a positive attitude, no matter what.

"Nihao," Lotion warmly greeted. "Sorry for the wait! Are you ready to order, sir?"

Hair Gel lowered the menu, glancing at Lotion and then at Ryuku. "I'm not sure," he replied. "What do you recommend?" as he finished his question, his eyes attention was focused solely on Ryuku.

Ryuku fidgeted under his steely gaze. "U-Uh, I –"

Thankfully, Lotion came to Ryuku's rescue. "We have many delicious choices to choose from!" she shifted closer to Hair Gel, pointing to quite a few selections on the menu. Cutting in the already tense – at least in Ryuku's opinion – atmosphere was a harsh voice shouting in Chinese. Lotion's smile became strained, but she resumed listing what was good on the menu. Not only did Lotion resume tending to the customer, but so did the shouting. This dragged on for several moments, before Lotion snappily replied back in her mother tongue.

This wasn't the first time something like this happened at the Cat Café, but it was still out of the ordinary and not to mention unprofessional. Ryuku's boss and Lotion's mother, Shampoo, was constantly screeching at Lotion in Chinese. Shampoo was capable of speaking Japanese, although it was choppy and therefore hard to take orders from her. Perhaps she normally stuck with her first language, since it was easier to communicate when Lotion could simply translate. Perhaps it was another reason. Ryuku wasn't curious enough to dig the answer out the Amazon. Lotion was left with the technical work: speaking to the other waitresses, answering the phone, and every other little thing. Shampoo remained cooped up in a room somewhere, only making a presence when it was absolutely necessary.

Despite having worked at the Cat Café for quite some time, Ryuku still didn't understand a single word of the Amazon's native language. She hadn't magically conjured the ability to become bilingual. Some bits and pieces sounded familiar, but Ryuku hadn't bothered to ask Lotion for the meanings, to explain what she was saying, to ask why looked so upset by what her mother said. It wasn't any of her business, so Ryuku left it alone. After their arguments died down, Lotion wouldn't mention a thing. She'd breeze through everything, as if nothing had happened at all. The vehement foreign dialogue dragged on for several minutes, before Lotion stomped her foot and shrieked loudly. The Amazon's composure completely fell apart for a split second, but it was a quick recovery and the shouting completely stopped.

A smile reappeared on Lotion's lips. She tucked a few strands of stray hair behind her ear, chuckling softly. "I'm so sorry, sir," Lotion said, turning her attention back onto the customer. Ryuku stiffened, she'd forgotten about Hair Gel. "That was very rude of me."

In response, Hair Gel shrugged and then began to speak in what sounded like gibberish to Ryuku's ears. However, it was recognizable gibberish, because Lotion was speaking back to him in the same tongue. _That's not gibberish._ It was Chinese. Hair Gel was speaking flawless Chinese.

Lotion jotted something down on her notepad. "Wow," she said. "Your Chinese is really good, sir."

Hair Gel blinked. "Was I," his lips pursed. "Was I speaking Chinese?"

"Yes," Lotion nodded. "In very good Chinese, if you don't mind me saying, sir. You have no accent at all, almost like you were native born. What part of China are you from?"

"Thank you, miss," Hair Gel said. "But I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. I've never been to China and I don't speak Chinese."

Lotion's smile fell to a frown. "I must've been mistaken," she said. "Forgive me, sir. We'll be back shortly with your order." The pair went for the kitchen, but as Ryuku began to open the door she was tugged over to the hallway instead. "Ryuku," Lotion whispered softly. "You heard him, too, right?"

"I… I heard him."

"What a strange man," Lotion commented. "How could say he wasn't speaking Chinese? We both heard him. I thought he must've been joking, being modest with how flawless his Chinese was. But he looked so confused, like he couldn't believe what I told him."

"We should probably get back to work."

"You're right," Lotion sighed. "Mother wouldn't be pleased to see us slacking off."

The Amazon added such malice at the mention of her mother but Ryuku didn't question the tone, or the nasty scowl Lotion wore. It wasn't any of her business. She was only there to work.

**X**

As usual, it was quiet when Ryuku arrived at her house. Exhaustion won over the need to check for any sign of the double. All she cared about was heading to her bedroom, where a comfortable bed was waiting for her. The walk was pleasantly quick, when she was standing in front of her door, she swung it open. But since nothing could ever be so easy, someone had already beaten her to her bed. Sitting on her mattress, holding a plate with rice, steamed vegetables and steak was none other than Gashu. Ryuku noted the double was also in female form, not only was Gashu currently a girl, but it appeared she wasn't planning on staying given her current state of dress.

Again, exhaustion drove her to simply not care about the double's intrusion. Ryuku couldn't even remember if she'd locked the door after she'd left in the morning. It didn't matter. Ryuku dropped her belongings on top of her desk, walking to her closet, while she unbuttoned her top. Tonight, she'd sleep in as a female. She wasn't in the mood to get drenched to turn back into a guy. In the morning, she'd change back. It was simpler that way, less of a hassle.

"Ma hasn't been going to work, you know."

Ryuku chucked her top into the hamper; she adjusted the tank top she'd worn underneath her uniform. She huffed, shuffling to her dresser to pick out some fresh clothes. Hopefully the double would leave soon. There was no way she was changing with Gashu in the same room. Never mind the fact they'd met when they were both only wearing towels. She'd be crossing a disturbing line, removing clothes in front of herself.

"I've been leaving some food outside her door," Gashu said, explaining the plate on her lap. "She's eating thanks to me, which is good, because _I_ wouldn't want her to starve."

"You're dressed up for a reason," Ryuku grumbled, glaring at her double's reflection from the mirror hanging on her closet door. "Why don't you just leave already? You don't need permission from me to go screw around. You've already ruined my life enough, who's stopping you from keeping that up?"

Gashu sighed. "I came here so you could give this to ma. I cooked everything myself. It's not healthy eating all that junk food and instant crap. As much as I love the stuff, I'd get sick of it sooner or later, not that you care."

The double got off the bed, standing behind Ryuku with the plate held out. "I want you to give this to Ma," she said. "Maybe you could get her to talk to you. She doesn't want to talk to me. Believe me, I've tried."

Reluctantly, Ryuku turned around, accepting the food from the double. "Get out."

"I better go," Gashu rolled her eyes. "I've got dinner waiting for me."

Ryuku didn't flinch when the door slammed shut on Gashu's way out. She glanced down at the plate. Exhausting was demanding she get some sleep. There was no one bothering her, all she needed to do was slip under the covers and that was it. She'd be out like a light. As inviting as sleep was, Ryuku found herself walking out of her room. When she was standing in front of her mother's bedroom, she blamed her exhaustion. Being tired made her do stupid, pointless things.

She knocked on the door and waited.

**X**

Unlike the Saotome residence, Ayano's house was impeccable. A homey feeling wrapped around Gashu when she'd set foot in the house. Instantly, Gashu felt at home. Everything was squeaky clean and perfectly presented. Typically, people generally tidied up their living space whenever they were having company over. Gashu had a hunch, Ayano kept the house in perfect shape even when it wasn't a special occasion. The double surveyed the main room; it was split into two parts: the dining area and a lounging area. Currently, Gashu stood in the latter. A couch was placed in the middle of the room, facing the television set. There were bookshelves placed on either side of the TV, every shelf filled with a variety of colorful novels. A small table was set in between the TV and the couch. Set on the table was a picture frame. Gashu took the frame, glancing over the photograph underneath the glass. A young woman was smiling warmly at the double. The photographed woman almost reminded Gashu of his mother, although they didn't look anything alike. The woman was friendly, kind and had such a powerful presence – everything his mother was.

Ayano shared the woman's smile. Flipping the frame in her hands, Gashu's heart sank when she saw a message scribbled on the back. '_Hiromi Makanai, a beloved wife and loving mother_.'

"Ryoko, dinner's ready."

"I-I'll be right over!"

Gashu placed the picture back, before moving to the dining area. Compared to the lounge, the other room was fairly scarce. A table designed for families took up the majority of space. Ayano was already getting everything ready. The aroma wafting in the air was mouth watering, Gashu's stomach growled. _Smells just like Ma's._ Gashu sat adjacent to her companion, watching as she scooped rice into a bowl. Wearing Hiromi's smile, Ayano handed the bowl to Gashu.

"Are you sure I'm not intruding?"

"You're not," Ayano assured her. She bowed her head, murmuring a few words, before eating. It wasn't until a few bites that she saw Gashu wasn't eating. "My sister only joins me whenever our father comes home. Since he comes home at random hours I usually set two plates aside for them."

"Otherwise," Gashu paused, frowning. "You eat by yourself?"

"I don't mind," Ayano replied. "My family's busy with their own things. My father has his store to take care of; my sister's always busy with student council. Everything can be so stressful. The best thing I can do is help them in any way I can."

Gashu's frown deepened. "I'm sorry."

Bewilderment washed over Ayano's features, she put her chopsticks over her bowl. "What are you apologizing for?"

"For how I've been acting towards you," Gashu said. "I should've treated you a lot better. You're a… nice girl, you know?"

"You don't have to apologize, Ryoko. I understand that you're busy, too. Everyone is. If I've been a burden to you in the past, I hope you can forgive _me_," Ayano said, releasing a light sigh. "You've been really nice to me. You've been a really good friend."

"Wait a sec, why are _you_ apologizing?" Gashu sputtered, unfurling her seated position to stand on her knees. "You don't have to – if anyone has to apologize it's," the double stopped, pressing her hands on the table. "You know what? Since he won't do it, _I'll_ do it for him."

"You don't –"

"Someone has to do it."

"But I can't accept it," Ayano's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry."

Unlike the last time Ayano rebuffed an apology for whatever Ryuku had done; Gashu had an advantage this time. While she couldn't explain her grief to Ryuku, she could totally spill everything to her good friend, Ryoko. Trust was such a wonderful thing. The least of her concerns were the redheaded idiot back home, who she wouldn't mind throwing off a cliff – but it got her mind off of everything happening with Ryuku's mother. Was Akane still locked up in her room, alone and crying her heart out? _Don't think about that._

The double was actually curious at what could've caused such a sour patch between Ayano and Ryuku. What kind of relationship did they have? Given how everyone perceived the redhead, their relationship couldn't have been romantic. It was strictly platonic. Who would willingly want to be with such a moody guy? Gashu questioned Lotion's taste in men. Granted, _his_ Lotion hadn't immediately warmed up to him but what was so attractive about mister-sulk-and-pout? Ryuku was already involved with a sexy Amazon. Even if the redhead was a bitch sometimes, he didn't look the type who'd cheat. He wasn't a _total_ asshole.

Gashu pressed on. "Why can't you accept it?"

"How can you ask me that?" Ayano asked incredulously. "You were there, Ryoko. You saw me standing there while he… your own brother _hurt_ you."

_Say what now?_ Gashu couldn't fathom the thought of Ryuku beating up, well, herself. _There isn't another one of us running around, right?_ "I can defend myself, Aya," the girl was startled at the sudden namedrop. "Aya's a cute nickname, huh?"

"Y-yes, it is."

"Anyway, I come from a long line of marital artists, you know – the best of the very best."

"You are?" Ayano blinked owlishly. "You _both_ are?"

This time, Gashu blinked. "You didn't know that?" It was common knowledge, back home anyway, that the Saotomes were a family of martial artists.

"I don't really know much about you," Ayano confessed coyly. "All those rumors about your brother make it very hard to know anything."

"We were both raised to into the school of Anything Goes Martial Arts," Gashu informed Ayano matter-of-factly. She couldn't help but beam with pride. She couldn't help it, she was pretty proud of her family's background. "All we were doing was sparring, Aya. It wasn't anything serious."

"Were you?"

"Yeah," Gashu confirmed. "Don't you believe me?"

"I-I want to. But he was so scary. I was never so terrified of someone before. I-I thought he was going to," she struggled to finish her thought, wrapping her arms around her upper body. "I know those rumors about him are ridiculous and cruel," Ayano sniffled, dropping her head forward. "I feel so awful thinking… believing some of them could be true, but I don't know anything about him. I saw what happened. What he did to you and I really – I know we're better off as nothing, but I just wish it could've ended better. Ryu," she swallowed, as she choked out. "_Saotome_ may not be the nicest person but he's not… cruel."

Gashu brought Ayano towards her, initiating a hug. "This is really eating you up inside. How long has this been bothering you?"

"It shouldn't be bothering me," Ayano croaked. "He never wanted me around, but I can't let this go. I can't and I don't know why."

"Did you think you should, maybe, consider his side of things?" Gashu suggested tenderly. "There is more than one side to a story."

Ayano tilted her head back, staring up at Gashu with tears welling up. "What about you?"

"You'll always have time to hear mine. When would you ever hear what he has to say?" Gashu flashed the girl a reassuring grin; she squeezed her shoulders for extra support. "Now, let's get back to eating. Our food's getting cold."

With a shaky laugh, Ayano nodded in agreement. Gashu picked up her chopsticks, immediately digging in after sparing some words of gratitude. The superb flavor attacking her taste buds was overwhelming; the double couldn't get enough of Ayano's cooking. The taste was so _familiar_, she couldn't explain it. After shoveling down her rice, Gashu finished the delicious beef and vegetable stew. She handed the empty dishes to Ayano, grinning as she eagerly asked for more. However, the look on Ayano's face was alarming – she was _worried_?

"Ryoko," Ayano placed her hand over Gashu's. "Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay, I'm awesome! This tastes amazing!" but Ayano hadn't loosened up. "Why? What's wrong?"

"You're… crying."

"No, I'm –" to prove a point, Gashu touched her cheeks. When she glanced over her fingers, she was startled to find moisture on them. Now, Gashu could feel how damp her face was. "Why am I –" vigorously, she shook her head from side to side. _Why am I so upset all of a sudden?_ "I-I'm fine, Aya."

Remaining unconvinced, Ayano halfheartedly gave the double another serving. Gashu sniffled, as she went back to eating. Everything was always better when your stomach was full of delicious food. It tasted even better when it was prepared by such a cute girl. "Ah, shit," Gashu held back a sob, smacking her palm over her eyes. Under her breath, she grunted. "Stop crying, you idiot."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"N-No, I just," Gashu gritted her teeth together. _What's wrong with me?_

The taste in her mouth was almost, it was _heartbreaking._

**X**

A loud yawn escaped the double's mouth, as he stretched the kinks out in his arms. Lazily, he reached under his shirt to scratch at an itch on his abdomen. His stomach's insistent noise reminded him why he was up. Aside from his unexpected crying, the night at Ayano's house was well spent. She was good company. Plus, she was a natural cook. Her cooking almost rivaled his mother's. Eating dinner at Ayano's place was almost like being at home, but there weren't any crazy pandas barging in or all-out brawls over the last piece of beef. Creating an excuse to his sob episode was embarrassingly easy. He passed it off as a terrible stomachache, which Ayano had no trouble with believing.

Upon his arrival at the kitchen, Gashu couldn't miss Ryuku at the counter, preparing something. It must've been fairly early in the morning, if Ryuku hadn't left for school yet. Another yawn spilled from Gashu's mouth. He hadn't bothered to check the time when he'd rolled away from his futon. "Good mornin'."

Ryuku mustn't have sensed Gashu's presence, since he stiffened and slammed his knee on the cabinets underneath the counter. Hissing, Ryuku looked behind him. "Morning," he grunted. "I'm surprised you're up this early."

"I couldn't sleep," Gashu sighed dramatically, he plopped his hand on his stomach, rubbing his belling fondly. "My stomach wouldn't leave me alone. Figured I'd grab a quick bite and then head back to sleep," he stood on Ryuku's left, uninterestedly inspecting what was laid out before the redhead. "Are you fixing yourself some lunch?"

"No. Just making something," Ryuku heaved a sigh. "For mom, in case she gets hungry or whatever."

"_You are?_" Gashu gasped, startled by such a kind gesture coming from Ryuku of all people. "That's… thoughtful of you."

Ryuku growled. "Do you really need to sound so surprised?"

"Uh, yeah, I _do_," Gashu snorted. He stared at what Ryuku was making. All he could tell was that it was something that apparently needed bread. "Are you sure you want to make your mom feel even crappier?"

"Considering I've been surviving off her cooking for fifteen years, I'm doing her a favor."

Gashu laughed. "Hey be nice. Bein' a mom ain't easy."

Ryuku dropped another slice of bread on top of his creation. "I'm sure it isn't."

"Can I say I'm proud of you?" Gashu playfully prodded Ryuku's bicep. "Taking the initiative and bringing your mom some breakfast. Aren't you a great son? If I was a mother, which is a very strange thing to say, I wouldn't mind having you around! Of course, I mean as a butler."

"This doesn't mean anything," Ryuku spat. "I'm only making her something to eat. She can think what she wants."

Gashu's prodding turned into hard jabbing. "You're being a big prick about this," he said. "She just found out that I'm here and she's freaked out. Don't you think you should be comforting her? Tell her everything's okay. Tell her I'm not an evil shape shifter demon."

"Everything's _not_ going to be okay," the redhead reminded the double firmly. "What good would it do if I told her that? You're still going to be here, aren't you?"

"I didn't say to tell her the truth," Gashu huffed. "Sometimes, people need to hear some lies. It's not right, but it makes them feel better."

"Why don't _you_ make her feel better?" Ryuku suggested. "She seems a lot more taken with you than with me."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous," Gashu couldn't help but tease. "If you want some bonding, all you have to do is ask her. I'm sure she'd be more than happy," he held his hands up in a defensive manner, as he slowly backed away from Ryuku. "Whoa, there's no need to pick up sharp objects. I was just saying, you should –"

A dull thud echoed in the kitchen, as Ryuku stabbed a knife into the cutting board. "I _can't_ just," he pinched the bridge of his nose, clenching his eyes shut. "You don't understand, okay? I tried a bunch of times to let go but it's not that simple. I keep – forget it."

"No, we're not forgetting anything. Why can't you make me understand?"

Ryuku's shoulders slumped; he removed his hand from his face, giving Gashu a resigned glance. "It'd take too long to explain."

"I don't know if you've noticed this by now but," Gashu jerked his thumb towards himself. "I have plenty of time."

"You may have time but I don't have the patience."

"If I'm staying here, I _need_ to know things. Time didn't just stop until I got here. I'm not _that_ important. All sorts of stuff happened before me," Gashu said. "Like what happened between you and Ayano? How did Ryou's arm break? What was the big deal about that mirror? I want to know what's going on! This, this is my home now, too!"

Ryuku thrust a plate in Gashu's hands. "Give this to mom for me," he said. "I have to go to school."

At Ryuku's exit, Gashu said. "That's convenient."

The double puffed his cheeks out, looking very much like a puffer fish. He tossed the plate in the sink, languidly going to the fridge to grab something fresh. If Ryuku's mother was hungry, she'd be much better off eating some actual food.

**X**

Since Ryuku's lunches weren't spent eating, it was an excellent time to catch an early nap. Stretched out contentedly on his back, Ryuku had his uniform jacket draped over his face. The grass never failed to provide a comfortable resting place for the teen. Today, the weather was exceptional. It wasn't too sunny or too cold. It was a perfect temperature. At lunch time, he was untouchable. Even if nothing truly exciting happened during lunch, Ryuku wouldn't trade what he had.

Of course, one's peace could only last so long. The role of peace killer fell into the treacherous clutches of one Ryou Hibiki. "Are you sure you can sleep like that?"

Everything was so serene; everything was ruined when Ryou opened his mouth.

Sighing, Ryuku calmly assured his friend. "I've done this before."

"I just don't want you to get smothered."

"The only way that'd happen is if you were planning to smother me," Ryuku pointed out. "Are you going to smother me anytime soon?"

"I'd feel more comfortable if you napped like a normal person, Ryuku."

Groaning, Ryuku peeled his jacket off his face. "There. Will you leave me alone now?"

"Yes, Ryuku, I know it must be a pain, having someone care for your wellbeing," Ryou muttered wryly. "But I'm going to leave you alone."

Rolling his eyes, Ryuku plopped the jacket on top of his chest, instead using the garment as a blanket. His eyelids dropped shut, as he felt the gentle breeze brush gently across his hair. Peace was rightfully restored, until peace killer stormed in once again. Mumbling, Ryuku ignored Ryou's persistent pokes to his side. Ryuku turned to his side, yanking his jacket closer towards him. Not only was Ryou going against his word, but he was also starting to become really annoying.

Growling, Ryuku shot upright, grasping hold of Ryou's uniform to glare at him. "What is it now?"

Ryou clucked his tongue. "You have a visitor."

"I have a," Ryuku didn't finish; he followed Ryou's gaze and found himself staring blankly at a familiar face. It was the same familiar face, who was adamant to wipe him out of her life.

An unbearable awkward staring contest started between them. Ayano was the first to break eye contact; she anxiously occupied herself by curling her long tresses around her index finger. Ryuku tilted his head, gawking unabashedly at the timid girl. Confused was an understatement. He didn't get it. Why was she here? Why wasn't she off frolicking somewhere with her boyfriend? Ryuku turned to Ryou for answers, but all he was given was a shrug.

"Should I leave you two alone?" was what Ryou asked.

Ryuku shot his best friend a leveled stare. "Shut up."

"T-That's okay," Ayano stammered. "I won't take long."

Ryuku jaw was set firmly, as he watched her, waiting.

The girl fidgeted, balancing on the balls of her feet. "I just," she squeaked. "I wanted to say that I-I'm willing to, to listen to your side."

"Wha –"

"Not right away, not now!" Ayano squealed, nearly startling Ryuku and Ryou. "W-Whenever you're available! That's all! Bye!"

Ryuku could only watch as she fled from them. _What just happened?_

Next to him, Ryou hummed in thought. "I wonder what that was about."

"Believe me," Ryuku said. "I'm just as confused as you are."

**X**

Ryuku supposed his grandfather was a bit brash with his fighting style. He was certainly brash when it came to making decisions. A majority of Ryuku's childhood was ruined due to Genma's constant need to jump right into things, consequences be damned. During Genma's impromptu training trip, Ryuku should've paid better attention to how his grandfather fought. Unfortunately, it wasn't until the very end when he bothered to actually listen to what Genma was telling him. Ryuku's grandfather could fight. Ryuku believed that even if Genma was old and gray and confined to a wheelchair, he'd still be able to wipe the floor with him.

Gashu, on the other hand, was a completely different story, a whole other level. The double was, like his namesake, elegant. He could only show so much of his abilities by tearing up training dummies or ripping punching bags apart, but Ryuku saw enough to know Gashu fought with a controlled yet flexible mindset. Gashu was precise with every movement, using exact precision to connect every punch and kick. If Ryuku felt inadequate now, who knew how he'd feel when Gashu would finally unleash everything he'd been holding back? Ryuku couldn't fight off his curiosity. His training hadn't been as extensive or fully developed as Gashu's. Granted, Ryuku did this to himself, calling quits and turning away from martial arts forever. Even with the _Fighting Spirit_ Ryuku's confidence could only take him so far.

The double let out a snort when his swipe sliced through the punching bag. Half of the bag fell to the floor, as sand showered the floor. "Damn, there goes another one." Gashu rolled his shoulders, before he began to stack bricks.

Ryuku cleared his throat.

Gashu extended his hand above the stack, lifting his arm back. "What's up?"

"Something strange happened at school today."

Chunks of bricks thudded on the floor. "Like what?" Gashu asked. "Did someone ask what it'd take to actually make you smile?"

"Ayano told me she wanted to hear my side of things."

"Really now?" the double had a suspicious tone attached to those words. Gashu brought a piece of brick close to his face, as he idly looked over it. "I wonder what must've made her do that. People do such curious but interesting things."

Ryuku wasn't buying the double's act. "What was all that talk about before?" he spat. "About me not being brought up when you talked to her? That she was _only_ going to be your friend, without any involvement with me."

"In my defense, _she_ wanted to talk," Gashu peeked at Ryuku over the brick. "Are you pissed at me?"

After a beat, Ryuku said. "Not completely, just annoyed," he mumbled. "But also, really confused… I don't know what to say."

The double dropped the brick on top of the mess. He clapped his hands off, removing the dust from his palms. "Well, you could start by telling me what happened with that mirror."

"I could tell you," another voice intruded. Akane walked into the dojo, taking a spot next to Ryuku. "I hope I'm not interrupting something important."

Gashu shook his head. "No," he said. "You don't have to do that."

"You deserve the right to know," Akane said.

Ryuku glanced at his mother. She wasn't in the best condition. Bags were under her eyes, her lips were cracked. Her eyes were half-hooded. Despite already having fair skin, Akane was deathly pale. She used to be in good shape, but as years passed she'd lost considerable weight – she was much too frail for a woman her age. Ryuku faced forward, away from his mother. The double wasn't any better. His attitude had abruptly changed; he was gawking at the floor, while he played with his pigtail in his right hand.

Like Ryuku did earlier, Gashu cleared his throat. "Should I leave?"

"No, stay," Akane told the double. "We… we _all_ need to sit down and talk about this. If we keep pretending nothing's wrong, we won't get anywhere. I'd like to," a small sigh came from Ryuku's side. "I'd really like to get past this and move on. No more hiding from each other, okay?"

"Okay," Ryuku nodded stiffly. "Fine, let's sit down and talk."

Gashu coughed behind his fist, while he raised his other hand. "Could I at least take a shower first?" he asked. "I'm all gross and sweaty."

Despite everything that'd happened, a small smile quirked on Akane's lips. "Don't take too long. There's a lot we need to talk about," there was a pause, before Akane added. "You got that, um –"

"Gashu!" the double finished in a rush. "Call me, Gashu, please. A-And I do understand, Ma – ma'am, I'll go as fast as I can!" he darted off, leaving Ryuku with his mother once again.

Counting off the beats of silence in his head, Ryuku faced his mother, closely studying her face for a reaction. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"… Yes, I do," Akane replied. "I need to."

Ryuku frowned; he looked at a spot over his mother's left shoulder. "He's different from me," he murmured. "In case you haven't already noticed. Of course, I guess I'd be different too if," he bit the inside of his cheek. His tongue felt thicker in his mouth, but he could still form the words he'd rather swallow down. "His dad stayed, you know."

"I know," was Akane's simple reply.

"Don't get upset when you hear something you don't want to," Ryuku said. "Remember, I tried warning you."

"I know, Ryuku," Akane repeated. "It's alright. I can handle myself."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"Is that why you hid him from me?" his mother asked. "You didn't want to… upset me?"

Ryuku shrugged, he scuffed the ball of his foot on the floor. "That was part of it," he huffed, shrugging again. "There were some other things."

"I'm sure there were, but thank you, Ryuku," there was a beat, before Akane stepped forward. She carded her fingers through Ryuku's hair. "I had a feeling something was going on. He looks so much like you, but I know my son," her fingertips touched the back of his neck. She used a soft fond touch. "I almost forgot you had a pigtail, too."

The weight of Akane's hand on his nape was heavy, almost unbearable. But at the same time, it was comforting – a comforting, steady warmth pressing on his skin. Ryuku kept his gaze glued onto the flooring, he couldn't look at her.

"I'm sorry about earlier, you know," he apologized slowly. His fingers twitched. There was an urge, a small urge, to nudge Akane away so he could rub his neck, yank at the spot where his pigtail was. "I was just frustrated by everything. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

He didn't have to look at his mother to know she was smiling. It would've been a tiny smile, barely there – but the curve of her lips would've been noticeable. "I understand."

Ryuku nodded, numbly. "Sorry."

And, for a brief moment, he felt like a total hypocrite. Screaming hoarsely at his mother (shouting at the top of his lungs, as if shouting solved anything) for overusing that word (sorry, sorry, sorry), when he wasn't any better.

"Come on, Ryuku," Akane said, removing her hand from Ryuku's neck to lead him out of the dojo. "Let's go find somewhere to talk."

"Yeah," he breathed. "Let's go."

**X**

When she finished her third helping, there was a succinct vibration in her pocket. Smacking her lips together, Gashu took her phone from her jacket, flipping it open to check the screen. She rested her chopsticks over her bottom lip, as she responded to the message. Quietly, she shut the phone and returned it to her pocket. Out of the corner of her eye, Gashu could see Ayano hadn't been eating, instead picking at her food.

"Your food taste as great as always," Gashu slid her rice bowl towards Ayano. "May I have a refill, please?"

Instantly, Ayano's face brightened. The girl seemed quite proud of her cooking abilities. "Thank you."

"No, thank you," Gashu said. "Your cooking is amazing. I look forward to every bite."

Ayano blushed at the double's comment. "I try my best."

As Gashu accepted her rice bowl back from Ayano, she casually quipped. "So, my brother told me what happened at lunch today."

"I don't know what came over me," Ayano murmured. "I saw him at lunch and I normally would've turned the other way, but then suddenly I found myself standing in front of him. Do you think it was a bad idea? Oh god, it probably was, wasn't it? What was I thinking? I should've never –"

"It wasn't a bad idea," Gashu assured her. "I think it was a great decision. Everyone needs closure. Besides, don't you think this'll make you feel better? You'll finally have this off your mind. You can move on this way."

"Talking to him would make me feel better."

"And you told him you'd talk to him whenever he's available?"

Ayano nodded. "I did."

"Well," Gashu drawled with a smile. "It just so happens, that he's available right now. He's waiting for you."

Ayano's eyes widened. "W-what?" she squeaked. "But I –"

"Relax, I wouldn't _ever_ let him in your house," Gashu said. "I'll show you where he is."

Gashu watched as Ayano rose on unsteady feet. There wasn't an ounce of confidence in her. They walked to the front door, Ayano slipping on a pair of tan fur-lined boots and Gashu with her pair of flats.

Once they left the house, Gashu couldn't help but notice Ayano lagging behind her. Gashu could tell she was becoming more and more apprehensive with every step forward. It was as if she was walking to her death.

The double looped her arm around Ayano's. "Relax, Aya," she told her. "I'll be right there with you."

Wearing a grateful smile, Ayano took hold of her hand, squeezing tightly. Gashu checked her phone, making sure she was taking them to the right place. Sure enough, Ryuku was waiting underneath a street light at the end of the block. His head was downcast, as he fiddled with something in his hand. The redhead wore a thick black sweater, blue tattered denim jeans and old sneakers. In Gashu's opinion, his double looked like a slob.

"We're here!" Gashu announced loud enough for the redhead to hear.

Ryuku's head lifted up, he stared at the girls walking up to him.

"Um," Ayano blurted.

"We were sparring," Ryuku said, not bothering to waste time with formalities. "Me and Ryoko," he clarified, glancing at Gashu. "Why I acted like that, I…"

"He really gets into fighting," Gashu finished. "Sometimes, he acts like a completely different person."

Ryuku shrugged. "Yeah, that's right."

"What about the boy?" Ayano asked.

Ryuku winced. "We were sparring, too."

Gashu's eyes flew from Ayano and Ryuku, waiting for further interaction between them.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear but," Ryuku sighed, his hand tugging the collar of his sweater. "You saw it yourself. I can say whatever I want, but I can't change what you saw. You can think whatever you want about me. I don't care. I just need you to know that – sometimes things can be deceiving."

Ayano blinked. "Thank you? But that –"

"That's all there is to my side," Ryuku interjected. "Thanks for listening," he paused as he turned to leave, turning over to add. "I'll see you back home, _sis_."

"Well, that explains everything!" Gashu added sardonically. "Not much of a talker is he?"

The walk back to Ayano's house was as awkward as Akane and Ryuku's situation, filled with unnerving silence that drove Gashu up a wall. The double had attempted to lighten the atmosphere with humor, to no avail. Ayano didn't seem to be in the mood, or was too occupied with contemplation. About three quarters of the way back, Gashu asked. "So, what'd you think?"

"I don't know," Ayano eventually confessed. She sounded at a loss. "Everything he said wasn't – It didn't change anything."

The double held the door open for Ayano. "Did you want something to change?"

They settled back at the table in the dining room.

"I don't know," Ayano repeated; she gripped her hands together on the surface of the table. "I kind of, for some reason, I kind of wanted to be wrong, but I don't know how that could happen. I _saw_ everything. I can't kid myself into thinking what I saw wasn't the truth. But I felt like he, he was keeping something from me, that he wasn't telling me everything."

"Who knows? Maybe he _was_ keeping some things to himself."

"Why would he do that?"

"Who knows?" Gashu shrugged. "My brother's a secretive guy. I'm his sister and he barely tells me anything," her words didn't seem to comfort Ayano in any way, given the perturbed expression on her face. "Look at it this way; you don't have to worry about him anymore. You can finally go back to how things were before. You can pretend you never even met him."

"If we had never met," Ayano murmured softly. "I don't think I would've ever met _you_."

Gashu cupped her hand over Ayano's. "Just because you're not speaking to my brother doesn't mean _I'm_ going to leave. Believe me, Aya, I'm not going anywhere." She got up to fetch something she'd left in the other room; she came back within seconds holding a small bag. She placed a box in front of Ayano. "Go ahead and open it."

Ayano rested the box on her palm; she looked at it in amazement, before finally opening it. "It's," delicately, she removed the contents inside. It was a fine silver chain, attached to it was a charm. Ayano brought the necklace closer to inspect the charm. "It's a puzzle piece?"

"Yeah, you're supposed to link it together with another piece," Gashu told her, lightly tugging her necklace from underneath her shirt. "I have the other piece."

Wordlessly, Ayano flipped the puzzle piece every other way with her fingers.

"Do you like it?"

Ayano's hand enclosed over the charm, she smiled. "I love it," she answered. "Thank you, Ryoko. Thank you so much."

**X**

The lovely couple headed to their homeroom class hand-in-hand. With Ayano slightly a few steps ahead, she was the first one to step into the classroom, however, Togo gently brought her back into the corridor. Puzzled, Ayano glanced up at her boyfriend, who gave her a friendly smile. Her heart swelled with affection towards her classmate. He was always so kind to her, willing to put up with everything she did – even if they normally would've annoyed anyone else. She had no idea what he possibly saw in an average, boring girl like her. When she heard the whispers behind her back, mostly from jealous classmates and other girls who admired Togo, she couldn't help but agree with the hurtful words hurled in her direction. Togo could do so much better.

Ayano pushed the nagging thoughts away. She turned to her boyfriend, doing her best to match his positive demeanor. "What is it, Togo?"

"It's nothing," Togo replied, using his free hand to cup Ayano's cheek. "Well, actually, there is something," he admitted lightly, his smile drooping somewhat. "I forgot to grab something from my locker. I didn't want to say anything before, but I realized I _really_ need it today. It can't wait until later."

"Oh," was what Ayano said. "Do you," she stopped, her lips pressing into a thin line. _What would a good girlfriend do?_ "Do you want me to go with you?"

Togo laughed. "No, you don't have to," he told her. "I'll be really quick, babe," he leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "You go on. I know you're dying to sneak some extra time to study before our test."

Ayano couldn't fight the blood rushing to her cheeks. Togo knew her too well. "W-well, if you're sure," she murmured coyly. "D-Don't take too long, okay?"

"I won't! Be right back, Ayano!"

Sighing contently, Ayano waved after Togo, watching as he raced down the hallway and disappeared once he'd turned the corner. She reentered the classroom, making a beeline for her seat and sat down. The first thing she did was spread out all the necessary material on her desk. Ayano checked the time on the clock hanging above the whiteboard. There was plenty of time before class would officially start. Unfortunately, having the same homeroom class with the notorious class gossip meant her classmates were rarely quiet, especially if their teacher wasn't present. Ayano was determined to keep her focus elsewhere. She didn't need to hear about the latest on Bloody Knife Saotome. Ryuku was no longer apart of her life, not that he ever was – he was pretty adamant on being left alone. Although, his constant proclaim "I don't need any friends" seemed to be contracted when she saw him spending his lunch with someone else.

She didn't bother to dwell on the issue, as she skimmed through her notes. As others began to trickle inside the class, Ayano couldn't help but notice that unfamiliar faces were making their way inside as well. Of course, Fumio attracted attention from everyone everywhere. Ayano's lips fell to a displeased pout. She picked up a highlighter to make important information standout. Approaching footsteps distracted Ayano, she checked to see if Togo had arrived. There were only more of her classmates mixed in with teenagers from other classes. A sizeable group had gathered around Fumio, who sat at his desk with his feet propped up and his hands clasped behind his head. The smug smirk he wore made Ayano's grip on her marker tighten.

What was so important about Ryuku Saotome?

Secretly, she had gone to do her own research (before the incident that had occurred in her neighborhood), but it was a hard task to accomplish. She couldn't ask anyone at school. Everyone was brainwashed by Fumio's lies, who knew what the truth was anymore? If something newsworthy truly happened, someone out there would've reported it. Ayano scoured through newspaper achieves at the library. Nothing turned up. For awhile, Ayano considered asking her older sister if she knew anything – but she knew better than to ask Naori about the school's main source of gossip. Apparently, the rumors had always surrounded the redhead. There was no doubt that Fumio knew something about this, but the lousy photographer wasn't going to tell a soul what he knew. Ayano knew she had the habit of keeping her nose out of things. She loathed being involved with horrible things. But she wondered how lost she was in the clouds to never notice a single mention of Bloody Knife Saotome. Or perhaps, she'd had heard things but hadn't bothered to question it or ask anyone about it. It was easier to remain oblivious.

_Just ignore it_, she told herself. _If they want a bad grade on their test, it's their fault. None of them concern you._

She would've nodded along to common sense and resumed studying her notes. But the sudden piercing noise that echoed in the room startled her. A painful throbbing came from her hands, bringing Ayano to tear her gaze from the doorway. Apprehension washed over her, as she realized _she_ had caused such a thunderous sound, slamming her hands hard onto the top of her desk. Several of her belongings had clattered onto the floor from the sheer force of her slam. "_Shut up!_" she exclaimed. "Please, shut up!" her eyes screwed shut. Her heart was pounding in her chest, ruining her already shattered focus. "All you do is spread such awful lies about him. You all listen to the least trustworthy person in this entire school! How stupid can you all be?"

Her aching hands formed into fists. "Have any of you even _spoken_ to Saotome?" she asked hoarsely. "None of you know anything about him! He – he may not be the nicest person but he's not a monster! He's doesn't have a knife and there are _never_ any blood stains on him! He's a normal person like everyone else! He has a family who cares about him so much. His family's so kind and wonderful. His mother and his sister –"

Fumio's snide scoff cut into Ayano's rant. "What about that psychotic bitch?"

Ayano's fury began to subside. "She isn't –"

"She's just as worse as her brother," Fumio drawled, his smirk widening. "Well, no one could _ever_ top Bloody Knife Saotome," Ayano flinched. She hated the snobby tone Fumio used whenever he uttered Ryuku's unflattering moniker. "Guess the craziness must run in the family."

Ayano looked at the gossip. The pressure of everyone's eyes on her was difficult to ignore, but she wouldn't give Fumio the satisfaction of revealing her discomfort. She cleared her throat, doing her best to ask. "What are you saying?"

"Saotome and his family are: a bunch of violent freaks," Fumio informed her. "While Saotome's busy gutting some unfortunate soul, his sister lovingly helps her brother gather all the blood for him. I heard she cleans his knives for him, too. It must be pretty gross, wiping off all that nasty blood, but she does it for him. Isn't that nice of her? She tricks people and lures them to her brother. Sometimes," he paused, skimming over the group absorbing each word. "Oh, I probably shouldn't say it. It's too gruesome. I don't want to gross anyone out."

Ayano shook her head; it took every last ounce of willpower not to cover her ears and block out everything. "That's not –"

"You have a hard time accepting the truth, don't you?" Fumio taunted cruelly. "Why are _you_ bringing Saotome up again anyway? Aren't you involved with someone else now?"

"She doesn't deserve him!" one of Ayano's classmates cried. "Ozaki deserves to be with someone who isn't obsessed with a monster!"

Another girl quickly chipped in. "Break up with him already, you freak!"

Her body reacted, before it could send a message to her mind. Ayano's legs moved, breaking into a sprint, sending her across and out of the classroom in seconds. The tears brimming in her eyes broke free, streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't go back. Everyone was against her. How could one frail girl stand up and go against the crowd? If she hadn't said a thing, she wouldn't have had to hear such horrible things said about _Ryoko_. The necklace around her neck became a noticeable heavy weight. How could she let them talk about her friend like that? Why didn't she defend her?

"Ayano!" someone was calling after her. "Ayano, where are you going?" a hand caught her wrist, whoever the hand belonged to yanked her back. She landed against a sturdy chest. Togo. "Babe, you look upset. Did something happen?"

"I-I," she didn't trust her voice, but she had to answer him. "I need to – I _have_ to go!"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm okay, Togo," Ayano rasped weakly. "I forgot, I forgot something, too. I need to get it before class starts."

"Ayano," her name sounded better when he said it. "Where are you going?"

Reluctantly, she pulled away from his hold. "I'm okay. I promise. I'll be back."

She fled before Togo could say anything else. Ayano ran and ran and ran. She kept running even when her body told her it was time to stop. Her vision was blurred, her hearing was muffled, and it felt as if someone was keeping a tight hold on her throat. Puffs of breaths escaped her mouth, as her legs continued to move forward, her feet thumped onto the tiles. She desperately needed to rest, before she collapsed from overexertion, but she refused to listen to common sense this time. Things would only end badly if she listened. Through her state of hysteria, she could barely react when she crashed into someone. She was screaming in her head. Why couldn't she run off somewhere without bothering someone else? Couldn't she do anything right? She needed to talk to someone. She needed to talk to – _Ryoko_ – she'd find somewhere nice and quiet and talk to her, hear reassuring words calm her.

Someone was holding her up. _What? _Ayano lifted her head up, looking through blurry eyes to see what was happening. She hadn't toppled over, but she was barely keeping herself upright with wobbly footing. Ayano took an uneasy step back, furiously scrubbing the tears away, before she apologized to whoever she'd bumped into. Feebly sniffling, Ayano brushed her damp bangs aside and saw a flash of red. They had red hair. Ayano became as rigid as a statue; she couldn't deal with this right now. Out of everyone she could've run into at school it _had_ to be the cause of her distress. After a quick apology, she'd leave and call Ryoko.

"Ryu," her voice cracked. "Saotome, I-I didn't mean," an exasperated whine came from her. She would've been embarrassed if she wasn't about to collapse. "Why am I always bumping into you?"

Someone squeezed her shoulders. Ayano stiffened. _He _was squeezing her shoulders. How long had his hands been holding her? "Hey," she whipped her head up to look at him. She'd assumed an annoyed glare was what she'd meet, but he actually looked worried. "Are you okay?"

Ayano was caught off guard by how gentle he sounded, how gentle he was being with her. She could tell him she was perfectly fine, but no one would believe her. How was anyone fine when they were crying their eyes out? She could lie to his face and continue running away. That would've been the end of that. But she didn't do any of those things.

Her head dropped. Her body quaked from her sobs. "No."

She was an idiot. From the beginning, she should've sought comfort from Togo. She needed to turn around and find her boyfriend. Togo was probably worried about her, running off without properly explaining herself. Not only was she a terrible friend, but she was also a horrible girlfriend. Warmth enveloped her. Ayano was pressed against a chest. It was sturdy, like Togo's, strangely soothing somehow. An unfamiliar scent filled her nostrils, but she'd smelt this before – when Ryuku was giving her a piggyback ride. She should've jerked away and went to find someone else. _Go to Togo! Call Ryoko! Get away!_

Instead, she clung onto him as she wept. "Why do they say such awful things about you?" was what she desired to ask. How could someone who was seen as a blood thirsty monster do something like _this?_

"Ryoko," was what she croaked. "How can they say such awful things about your sister?"

Her innocent inquiry caused his hold to loosen. It would've been the perfect time to pull away and forget everything. She wasn't supposed to be here with him, but her mouth betrayed her as she kept spewing nonsense. "What did she do? How could they call someone so sweet and – and nice such horrible things? Why would they –"

"Ayano," The few times they spent together, he rarely said her name. He sounded so different from Togo. She almost looked at him, but she couldn't meet his intense gaze. "How many times do I have to tell you this? Don't listen to them. They," he sighed. "They don't know anything."

The conversation reached an abrupt halt after Ayano had whispered: "No one does."

Neither of them moved. Ayano simply carried on with her crying. Later, she would feel guilty and embarrassed about using his jacket as a tissue – but all she could focus on, right now, was the comfort of having someone hold her until she shed all her tears and frustrations.


	31. Filler 6: Search for the Perfect Partner

**Filler:** The Search for the Perfect Partner

Groggily, Ryuku cracked an eye open, searching his surroundings for what caused him to stir awake. It was a high-pitched noise, a loud obnoxious clamor coming from his cell phone. Ryuku lifted his head off the desk. He was so comfortable it was ashamed he had to move. Grunting, Ryuku stretched his arms above his head, removing the kinks and soreness from his muscles. An open textbook was pushed off to the side. A closed notebook remained neglected, while sheets of papers were spread out before him. A thin puddle of drool gathered on a sheet labeled _Notes for Ryuku_, where his best friend had tirelessly transcribed class lectures in more detail. Ryuku had been studying. Well, he was _supposed_ to be studying, until he'd passed out. Before the rein of _Mr._ Hair Gel, Ryuku was able to get by with assignments and tests with minimal effort on his part. Now, schoolwork was becoming an even bigger hassle. Unless Ryuku wanted to wind up in summer school, he needed to put in the extra work.

Using the heel of his hand, Ryuku scrubbed his eyelid, as he yawned and picked up his phone. He'd missed the call awhile ago while he was gathering his thoughts. Ryuku flipped open his phone. His screen informed him he'd missed six calls – all of them from Ryou. Huffing, Ryuku prepared to text his best friend, but as if on cue, his phone lit up with yet another incoming call.

Ryuku thumbed the answer button, as he brought the phone to his ear. "Yes?"

His best friend's greeting was curt: "Did you fall asleep?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I wasn't?" Ryuku inquired lightly.

"You sound like you just woke up," Ryou pointed out through a snort.

"I _was_ studying, you know."

"Technically, you _stop_ studying when you fall asleep."

Ryuku reclined his chair, propping his foot on the edge of his desk to rock himself back and forth. "Well, it's not like I want to study anyway. This is just a waste of time."

"Don't say that," Ryou said. "If you keep thinking like that, nothing's going to change."

"Thanks for the life lesson, Hibiki."

A terrible habit of Ryou's, at least in Ryuku's mind, was assuming he knew what was best for everyone. It didn't take much for Ryou to launch into some sort of lengthy lecture. When the lost boy got like that, it was very difficult for Ryuku to restrain himself from yelling at his childhood friend. On the other line, Ryou let out a sigh. Ryuku recognized his best friend's exhale, he'd start preaching about Ryuku's negative attitude and how he needed to become more positive. Sometimes, Ryuku couldn't believe that Ryou was his best friend, as they tended to deviate with certain topics.

"I'm being serious, Ryuku."

"You're always serious," Ryuku mumbled, letting his chair land on the floor with a dull thump. "You're _so_ damn serious; I forget that we're the same age! Stop nagging at me like you're my parent!"

"Ryuku," Ryou started. "You can't just give up."

Ryuku grabbed a fistful of his own hair with his free hand. "You're never letting that go are you? I was joking, okay?"

"You don't joke about dropping out of school, Ryuku! I know school's frustrating but –"

"Okay, okay, calm down, Ryou," Ryuku cut in. "How about I come over to your house? You can help me with a few problems I'm having trouble with."

There was a brief pause on Ryou's end. "Oh," he said. "I'd invite you over, but my brother's home and –"

"_He's_ home?" Ryuku growled. "Well, can't you just kick him out or something? It'd only be for a few hours."

"Kick him out? I can't do that! He's my _brother_, my little brother!"

Ryuku rolled his eyes."Yeah, I don't care if he's your brother, he's still a –" Ryou's shouting was beginning to grate his nerves. Ryuku slammed his hand on his desk. "Fine, you know what? I guess I'll just give up!"

Distraught, Ryuku shut his phone and dropped it on his desk. In reality, Ryuku wanted nothing more than to chuck the dumb thing across his room, but cell phones weren't exactly cheap. Most of the kids at school bragged about the latest model of some high-tech phone, showing off all the fancy gadgets it came with and whatnot. By society's standards, Ryuku's phone was outdated but he didn't care. As long as he could keep in contact with people, he was content with what he had.

Ryuku looked over his schoolwork, before pushing himself onto his feet and leaving his room. He padded down the hallway, absently rubbing his neck in thought. As he reached the staircase, he could hear another one of Gashu's irritating game shows. With how much the double was glued to the thing, Ryuku almost considered moving the TV to Gashu's room. It wasn't like his mother or he used it very much.

When Ryuku checked on the double, he wasn't surprised to find him at his lounging spot: camped out in front of the TV, while filling up on noodles and junk food. Not wanting to disturb (or talk to) him, Ryuku slowly backed away. But Gashu must've heard _something_, because he lifted himself upright and flashed a grin in Ryuku's direction. "Yo!"

"Uh, yeah," Ryuku grumbled, glancing at anything but Gashu's beaming face. Even when the double was considered to be in a bad mood, his doppelganger still wore a constant grin. It was irritating how persistently happy he was all the time. "Don't mind me, I was leaving."

"Going back to your lair?" Gashu joked. He paused, as if expecting a laugh. When all he was given was silence, Gashu supplied the laughter himself. Once he settled down, he said. "Well, since you're here, I might as well ask you now."

One of Ryuku's eyebrows rose at that. "Ask me what?"

"I was just wondering something."

Ryuku snorted. "Am I supposed to care?"

Gashu snatched the remote off the floor, setting the TV on mute. "I _knew_ you cared about me!" he turned away from the television set, instead facing Ryuku. "Anyway, sarcasm aside, you don't have work this weekend, right?"

"No, I'm off," Ryuku replied, equipped with a suspicious glare. "Why?"

If it was possible, Gashu's grin broadened. "Oh, I was just curious."

"I'm sure you were."

"A free weekend, huh?" Ryuku heard a bag crinkling, before Gashu continued. "You got any big plans?" the double asked, his voice muffled by his mouthful. "Going on any dates with some super hot Amazons?"

"What are you talking about?" Ryuku remarked. "I was going to take Misaki ice skating."

"_Ice skating?_" Gashu blurted, incredulously. He gawked at Ryuku, as if _he_ was the one telling a joke this time. The double's lips pursed, an uncanny thoughtful expression claiming his features, before he asked. "Is that any fun?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ryuku shrugged. "Haven't you ever ice skated before?"

The double cocked his head, humming slightly. "No, never," he replied indifferently. "Pops always had me helping out with the dojo. Or he'd set some time for training trips. Whenever I did have free time, I'd hang out with some friends. But none of the guys ever suggested we go ice skating," Gashu paused then hastily added. "Not that there's anything wrong with it!"

"I'm –"

"Oh wait! I'd go out with girls, too!" Gashu announced. He cupped his chin. "I never brought my dates to the ice rink though. Is that, like, a new way to pick up chicks?" the double shrank from Ryuku's icy glare.

"I'm not crazy about it," Ryuku grunted. "I used to go all the time with my mom when I was little. Then things changed, so I went with Aunt Kasumi and Misaki. Grandma used to tag along with us, too," he said. "Misaki's crazy about ice skating. She really loves it."

There was a vacant expression on Gashu's face. "Grandma?" he echoed. "She didn't like how Pops was always making me train and stuff."

An image of Grandma Nodoka popped into Ryuku's head. When it came to martial arts, his grandmother was heavily encouraging. Nodoka even told Ryuku she was his own personal cheering time. When Ryuku had announced he was quitting Anything Goes, Nodoka had pulled him aside and attempted to make her grandson change his mind. Nodoka wasn't successful, no one was, but it showed how passionate she was towards the arts.

"That doesn't sound like grandma," Ryuku said.

"She wanted me to do things like the other kids," Gashu replied. "She kept saying that my childhood was getting wasted being cooped up in the dojo. I mean, she really liked that I was enjoyed it. I could hear her cheering for me when I'd win tournaments. She even told me she was my cheering squad," he laughed softly. "But, I guess, she didn't want me to _only_ think about fighting."

"Whatever," Ryuku mumbled. "I need to get back to studying. Unlike you, I actually care about school."

"I haven't thought about Grandma in awhile," Gashu said, disregarding Ryuku's snide comment. "I kind of… miss her."

Shaking his head, Ryuku left the double to himself, and returned to his bedroom. He seated himself back at his desk and restarted his inevitable task to find motivation to study.

**X**

The sensation of something agonizingly cold engulfed Ryuku's entire body. Everything was cold, so unbelievably freezing that it almost hurt to breathe. Unfortunately, this type of sensation was nothing new for Ryuku. A favorite method to wake up a cursed Jusenkyo individual was a bucket of water. Ryuku lost count of how many times his grandfather had done this to him in the past. Of course, the favor was returned to the rotten panda, but Genma always took pride in making sure Ryuku knew _how _many times he bested his grandson. Ryuku jolted upright in her bed, spitting out the water that gushed inside her mouth. Her bed sheets were completely drenched, clinging tightly onto her body.

Consumed with rage, Ryuku whirled towards the culprit, who'd rudely interrupted her sleep. "Grandpa, I'm going to –"

The first thing Ryuku saw was a toothy grin. "It's time to rise and shine, Ichigo!"

"You, you," Ryuku flung herself at the double, seizing him by his shirt collar. "_Asshole_, wipe that grin off your face! What the hell was that for!?"

Gashu's laughter invaded Ryuku's ears. He plopped his hand on Ryuku's head, still grinning despite Ryuku's adamant demands. "Good morning to you, too," he chirped cheerfully. "Do you remember when I told you about my plans with Ayano this weekend? Or, you know, today?"

Ryuku shoved Gashu back. "Why should I care? What's that have to do with this?"

The force of Ryuku's shove put Gashu back several steps. "That's weird. I could've sworn I told you. Okay, well, I have plans with Ayano, err, or more like _had_," Gashu said, chuckling. "The thing is, well, some things came up."

"_Why should I care?_"

"I can't just cancel on her!" Gashu whined. "She was _really_ looking forward to spending some time together!"

Ryuku scowled, as she climbed off her bed. The wet sheets insistently sticking onto her skin was becoming annoying. "She looks forward to everything! I'm sure she'll understand!"

"I'm not going to cancel on her. Why should I when I can still, technically, hang out with her?" Gashu furrowed his eyebrows suggestively at Ryuku, while he tugged on the hem of her now oversized (and dripping) shirt. "You understand what I'm getting at, Ichigo?"

"Oh, I totally get it," Ryuku hissed, pushing Gashu's hands away. "You're dumping her off on me!"

Gashu's grin fell to a pout. "You could've worded that better."

Ryuku folded her arms over her chest. "I'm busy."

"Yeah," Gashu snorted with an eye roll. "You're busy babysitting Misaki."

"I'm _not_ babysitting her," Ryuku said firmly. "Unlike you, I actually like spending time with my cousin."

"Why can't Ayano come with?" Gashu asked in a whiny tone. "I bet she'd love to skate with you guys!"

"Is that why you asked if I was busy a few days ago?"

Gashu glanced at something off to the side. "It may've had something to do with it," he confessed meekly. A second later, he snuck a peek at Ryuku. "Come on, this won't kill you. Ayano's good people! She's cute!"

Ryuku raised an eyebrow. "Cute?" she snorted. "Sure."

"Will you take her with you or not?" Gashu snatched Ryuku's hands with his, trapping her hands in place. "_Pretty please_, Ichigo_,_ I'm begging you!" he pleaded, jutting his lower lip forward into a pout, while his eyes sparkled hopefully. "I'll go down on my hands and knees if I have to!"

Ryuku looked away from the sight, it was embarrassing. Gashu was making some sort of sick caricature out of him. "Fine," she gritted out. "But don't think I'll do something like this again. Got it? She's _your_ friend, not mine."

Letting out a victorious whoop, Gashu stretched his arms out. "I totally got it! Thanks! Thank you so much!" he cried happily, intending to bring Ryuku into a hug. He grunted when a fist landed on his side, but nevertheless, embraced the boy-turned-girl. "You don't know how much this means to me, Ichigo!"

"Would you quit calling me those stupid nicknames?" Ryuku retorted. "They're annoying, like you."

Gashu waved off her comments. "Come on," he said, taking hold of Ryuku's wrist and leading her out of her bedroom. "I'll help you get ready."

"Why do I need help getting ready?" Ryuku spat, harshly slipping out of Gashu's grasp. "I can dress myself."

Gashu laughed. "You're kidding, right? Have you even _seen_ the way you dress? It's like you hate yourself!"

"This isn't some sort of fancy event!" Ryuku said. "It's not like there's anyone to impress at the dumb ice rink."

"What kind of excuse is that?" Gashu scoffed. "Even if there's no one to impress, that doesn't mean you can't look good."

"I dress fine. Leave me alone."

"No, you don't! You shouldn't be hiding those curves in rags!"

Ryuku shot Gashu a nasty glare. "You're really pissing me off right now!"

"I don't care! We're gonna make you pretty! If you run off, don't think I won't go after you, Ichigo." Gashu dragged Ryuku out of her bedroom, down the hall and forced her into his room.

**X**

Ayano already regretted her decision. The only thing replaying over and over again in her mind was that: she should've stayed home.

But she was looking forward to seeing her friend again. Ryoko was such an amazing individual. Sometimes, Ayano couldn't help but wonder how such a wonderful person could possibly exist, much less _want_ to be a part of Ayano's life. When Ryoko suggested they spend a day together, she made it clear that the invitation extended to Ayano's boyfriend. Right when their conversation ended, Ayano called Togo immediately. After she explained everything to him, she tentatively asked if he'd be willing to tag along with them. Togo's response was ecstatic. It almost made Ayano feel foolish for her initial hesitance.

Togo's exact words were: "Spending time with two gorgeous girls? I'd love to."

But when the day finally arrived Togo had called, apologetically telling her something happened, which meant a change of plans. Her boyfriend promised to make it up to her. "I'll take you somewhere nice," Togo had said. "We'll go to that place with that dessert you like so much. It'll be a fun date."

Ayano assumed the worst, when her phone lit up, displaying Ryoko's name. Ryoko was going to cancel (It was better this way. She could focus on what to prepare for dinner. There was some dust collecting on some furniture in the living room. She'd left Naori's clothes on the clothing line. Everything would wrinkle if she didn't get to it soon). But, in the end, it turned out to be the exact opposite. There was a slight adjustment with their plans. Instead of going to Nerima's shopping centre, they were going to the ice rink.

As they spoke, Ryoko had sounded so excited. Ayano didn't want to be the one to ruin her fun, but she wanted to change the location, to somewhere more comfortable and familiar. She had never ice skated before, had never dared to follow her sister when she'd tell Ayano and their father she was going with some friends to the ice rink. Swallowing down her unease, Ayano told Ryoko she was looking forward to it, while hoping her true feelings hadn't slipped into her words.

Already weighed down with anxiety, Ayano struggled to find something suitable to wear. She'd spent nearly fifteen minutes digging through her closet. Now, the majority of her wardrobe was made of the new clothing she'd purchased with Ryoko. Shopping with Ryoko proved to be pleasantly different. Unlike their first shopping trip, Ryoko appeared to be in higher spirits, enthusiastically willing to try on everything Ayano suggested. Occasionally, Ryoko would even pluck things off the hanger, tossing all sorts of colorful clothes in Ayano's way.

"You look really good in that, Aya!" Ryoko had told Ayano when she stepped out of the dressing room. She had worn an off-white dress, adorned with elaborate floral designs and a Peter Pan collar. The grin Ryoko wore was so positive; Ayano could almost believe her words.

Ayano shook her head, forcing herself back to reality. She was worrying over something so trivial. Ryoko wouldn't judge their friendship based on what clothes Ayano would wear. Wearing a light smile, Ayano gathered her outfit together, double-checked everything in the house, and then finally left. They agreed to meet at the local clinic, where Ayano saw Ryoko standing in front of the entrance. As she approached the other girl, a sudden wave of nervousness started to nip at her, throwing Ayano off balance.

_Why am I so nervous?_ Ayano fiddled with the chain of her necklace Ryoko had given her.

By the time Ayano reached Ryoko, the girl was blankly staring at the ground. There was a beat, before Ryoko lifted her gaze and met Ayano's eyes. Ayano offered her a shy smile. Perhaps the reason Ryoko didn't return it was due to her running a few minutes late. Ayano's face brightened in delight when she took notice of Ryoko's outfit. She recognized the lovely light pink dress; she'd personally out for Ryoko to wear, after all. The ruffled necklace accented Ryoko's lithe figure. Ryoko shifted under her stare, absently kicking at nothing with her black flats, as she brought her sweater jacket closer to her chest.

Ayano's smile widened. "Are you, um, ready to go?"

Ryoko turned her head to the side. A frown tugged at her bright pink lips. _She put lip gloss on_. "I hope you don't mind," Ryoko mumbled softly. "But I invited my cousin."

"I don't mind!" Ayano assured her. "It'd be nice to see Misaki again."

"She's just getting her things together."

Ayano slid her handbag off her shoulder, unzipping the bag to look inside. "If I knew Misaki was coming I would've made more cookies."

"Cookies?"

There was a bemused look on Ryoko's face. "Um, well, I've really enjoyed the time we've spent together," Ayano murmured shyly. "I thought, to show my gratitude, I'd make you something." She brought out a small bag filled with bite-sized cookies. It was tied closed with a pink ribbon. Hopefully, Ryoko would enjoy the sweets. She'd painstakingly hand-frosted each cookie with pink and white frosting. "I made enough for you and Togo. If I hadn't left Togo's bag at home, I could've given them to your cousin."

Although Ryoko's confusion had lessened, Ayano was wary of the blank look she wore. Biting her bottom lip, Ayano held the bag out to Ryoko. Silently, the girl accepted the baked goods. Patiently, Ayano waited for Ryoko to open the bag and try a cookie. Instead, Ryoko simply looked over the contents in the bag. Ayano's heart sank. Ryoko didn't like them. Maybe she should've made something else. She should've checked with Ryoko beforehand.

Disrupting Ayano's frantic trail of thoughts was a small timid voice. "I'm done."

Crossing through the clinic's entrance was a petite girl. Ayano couldn't use one simple word to describe how devastating cute Ryoko's cousin was. There was a gray cat printed on Misaki's loosely fitted blouse, the animal posed with a paw nears it pink nose. The blouse itself was made up of bright colors of yellow, pink and white. Idly, Misaki pulled at the hem of her white polka dotted skirt. The length of it ended just above her kneecaps, but her calves were covered with knee-high stripes socks. Misaki's brown hair was braided into two small pigtails, each held in place with yellow hairclips. Altogether, Misaki could've been one of those girls who advertised those cute dolls in those magazines.

Ryoko turned to her cousin, smiling. "You all set?"

Misaki hitched her tiny backpack higher on her back. "Yes, I'm set," she answered. "Can we go now?" She batted her eyelashes at Ryoko, her lips curling into a childish pout. "Pretty please, I've been waiting all week to go ice skating with you."

"I'm sure you were," when Ryoko's eyes darted towards Ayano, her grin faltered slightly, as if she'd forgotten Ayano was there. "Misaki, do you remember Ayano?"

Misaki spared a brief glance at Ayano, before returning to her cousin. Her answer was a curt nod, before she reiterated her previous question. "Can we go now?"

"I heard you the first time," Ryoko scoffed, although her tone was teasing. She beckoned Misaki forward, stepping behind her to put Ayano's cookies in her backpack. "You, uh, girls ready?"

Misaki's hand shot out grab onto Ryoko's. "I can't wait!"

The walk to the ice rink was faster than Ayano expected. Upon their arrival, Ayano could no longer ignore her trepidation. She couldn't do this. Everything was going to be ruined, thanks to her. Not only would she be disappointing Ryoko, but she'd be disappointing her cousin as well.

_It's not too late to change your mind. _A voice in the back of mind reminded her. She had to say something now. Otherwise, there was no turning back.

"Here, Ayano."

Before she could voice a word of protest, Ryoko handed her a pair of skates. With a meek nod, Ayano took the skates, hanging her head to cover the tears in her eyes. She couldn't do this. Why hadn't she mentioned something earlier? A simple day to have fun with a friend was steadily becoming a horrible disaster. Behind her, she could hear Misaki's bubbly giggles. The unsettling feeling that had settled in her stomach, that had formed ever since she stepped inside the ice rink, twisted and turned with apprehension. The cousins were already on the ice, lost in their own little word, having the time of their lives. Now would've been the perfect chance to slip away, to retreat back home. They wouldn't notice if she left. It was better this way. She wouldn't be causing any trouble and everyone would end up having a good time. But then, Ryoko was looking at her, waiting for her. She couldn't keep her waiting.

So, despite everything telling her not to, she entered the rink.

The best approach to comprehend this uncharted territory, Ayano decided, was with baby steps. She was on the ice. Her balance was atrocious but she was _in_ the rink. All she had to do was release her death grip on the fence. With deep breaths, Ayano forced her hold to loosen. Mustering what little confidence she had, Ayano turned from the fence, instead facing her friend. She glided forward, taking the tiniest steps.

Everything was okay. She _could_ do this.

But when Ryoko suddenly vanished from her line of sight, Ayano came to the horrifying realization that everything was _not_ okay. She was gaping at the ceiling, at the blaring headlights hung on thin metal railings, shining down on every skater in the rink. Ayano was falling faster and faster. The landing would, no doubt, be painful. Or at least, she assumed it would be. She'd never fallen on ice before. But if it was as agonizing as scraping yourself on the concrete, Ayano mentally prepared herself for the worst.

The last time something like this happened, someone caught her, preventing a nasty fall from occurring. Her groceries may've taken the brunt of it but she was fine. No one saved her before. Whenever she tripped or injured herself, her older sister would turn the other way, pretending she saw nothing. When she sought comfort from her father, he simply handed her a first aid kit. She tended to her own injuries. No one bothered to take her to a clinic. But normally there was no need to do something that drastic. Her injuries were never severe.

Someone was shouting her name.

A name left her lips. It wasn't her boyfriend's. It wasn't Ryoko's.

"Ryuku?" _Why am I calling for him?_

Ayano blinked. She hadn't fallen on the ice. Instead, somehow, she was flying.

"Don't worry," a smooth voice gently assured her. "I've got you."

And then, she found herself gazing into a pair of dark blue eyes. They were a brilliant shade of cerulean.

"Huh?" was what she blurted.

Once again, Ayano blinked, bringing herself out of her daze and away from those alluring eyes. She glanced down – _Down! I didn't fall!_ – discovering the reason she had avoided a painful fall, because she'd been saved. Someone had scooped her up in their arms. Grateful, Ayano returned to her savior, greatly startled to see who those enticing eyes belonged to.

Since Ayano was like any other teenage girl, she could understand why the other girls at school admired her boyfriend. Not only was Togo attractive, but attached with those good looks was a warm and welcoming personality. However, the owner of those baby blues was almost sinfully attractive. Wavy and sleek chocolate brown hair framed his gentle masculine features. His skin was flawless, his eyes sparkled, his lips full and curled in a dazzling crescent smile flashing perfect white teeth. Blood rushed to Ayano's cheeks, coloring them a dark shade of crimson. Growing flustered, Ayano glanced elsewhere, resting her stare on his muscular shoulder, where a small ponytail curled, sealed in place by a silk purple ribbon.

His fingertips caressed her chin, moving to cup her cheek and gently shifted her attention back to him. "Are you okay?"

_I shouldn't be thinking like this! What about Togo?_ "Y-Yes," Ayano stammered, weakly. She wiggled slightly in his arms, in an attempt to create some distance between them. "T-Thank you so –"

"_Camille!_"

**X**

What a disgusting scene. They were a near splitting image of cheesy couples from those lame movies that she occasionally caught Gashu watching. Although, it was a relief that nothing bad had happened to Ayano, she was wrapped up in _that_ guy's arms. They were completely oblivious of everything around them, despite the lingering stares from the other skaters. The "couple" was in their own little nauseating world, where no one else existed. Ryuku skated in front of them, waiting for one of them to make a movement. But Ayano was gawking at the guy in awe, apparently forgetting about her boyfriend she constantly fawned over.

Ryuku cupped her hands around her mouth. "What the heck do you think you're doing, idiot?!" Still, there was no reaction from either party. "Camille!"

Finally, the young man shifted his attention elsewhere. "Ryoko!" he beamed, targeting that infuriating smile in Ryuku's direction. "I can recognize that enchanting voice of yours anywhere," his eyes glanced over her, taking his time to analyze Ryuku's body, before their eyes met. "You look as lovely as ever."

"Save it, jerk," Ryuku growled. "I don't want to hear it."

In response, Camille let out soft chuckle. "Still as feisty as ever, I see."

"Mind putting down my friend?" Ryuku asked through clenched teeth.

"Your friend?" Camille tilted his head, as if he hadn't truly understood the question. He looked down at Ayano. "Oh! You mean this beauty here?" he leaned closer to Ayano, closing whatever distance there was between them. To an innocent bystander, it would've looked like they were kissing.

"Hey! Back off!" Ryuku would've stomped her foot to add more emphasis, but it wouldn't have turned out as neatly with skates on. "That 'beauty' already has a boyfriend. So, leave her alone."

Camille hovered closely to Ayano's ear. "There's no need to be jealous, Ryoko," he teased. "Ever since I first laid my eyes on your beautiful form, my heart belonged to you."

"Whatever," Ryuku grumbled. "Can you put her down now?"

"Of course, anything for you," and like a perfect gentlemen he was, Camille was true to his word, and tenderly placed Ayano back on the ice. "Can you stand?"

"Y-Yes," Ayano murmured, her cheeks stained pink. "Um, thank you."

"There's no need to thank me. I did what anyone would've done," Camille said. "But there is one thing you can do for me. Tell me, sweetheart, what's your name?"

Ryuku forced herself between them, serving as a temporary wall. "Her name is: buzz off!" she hissed, sharply jabbing Camille in the chest with her finger.

It was ridiculous how much of a height difference there was between them. Camille was already tall, he could've been seven feet tall, but Ryuku wouldn't be able to tell the difference in her current form. As a guy, she would've looked more intimidating, but as a girl, it wasn't as easy to get a message across. What made this even more embarrassing was that Ryuku wouldn't have been able to properly reach Camille's chest if he hadn't been bowing forward. A dangerous glint in Camille's eyes sounded warning alarms in Ryuku's head.

Ryuku moved backwards, keeping her arm up in front of Ayano as she cautiously back away. "Just leave her alone," she warned. "You saw her almost fall flat on her butt. I think the last thing he needs is some jerk bothering her"

Camille skated forward, casually following after Ryuku's retreating form. "Jealousy is a very fitting look on you, Ryoko," he drawled. "It brings such a lovely color on your face."

"Go bother someone else," Ryuku held onto Ayano's elbow, leading her to where Misaki was waiting for them.

Ayano's arm hooked around Ryuku's, as she struggled to keep herself upright. "I-I'm so sorry," Ayano mumbled, sniffling. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Ryuku said. "I shouldn't have left you alone like that. But, jeez, you should've said this was your first time skating."

"I'm sor –"

"Come on," Ryuku brought her to an exit out of the ice rink, while Misaki skated closely behind them. "Let's get off the ice for a bit."

Ayano glanced over her shoulder, checking on Misaki, who was staring at the ice. "Don't you still want to skate?"

"We have plenty of time. They have a nice little snack bar here. Lots of sweets girls for crazy for," Ryuku slowed down slightly, she held her hand out for Misaki to take. She must've looked odd, having Ayano (a girl who had several inches on her) clinging onto her side, while she was holding her cousin's hand. "We'll grab a quick bite and then," she paused. _And then what are we doing?_

"Then?" Ayano asked.

Ryuku squeezed Misaki's hand, as she gave Ayano a tiny smile. "Misaki and me will teach you how to skate."

**X**

A burst of sweetness attacked her taste buds, as she bit into a cherry. She curled the stem around her index finger. Wordlessly, she watched the other girls at the table interact with one another. The cousins were blissfully sharing a banana split. Every now and then, Misaki would scoop a spoonful of ice cream on her spoon and then feed Ryoko. Each time, Ryoko rolled her eyes, however, her annoyed façade was shattered with the amused grin she wore. Every time, Ryoko would give up and waited for Misaki to feed her.

Ayano cradled her glass in her hands. She brought her red straw to her lips and sipped at her milkshake. Her thoughts drifted, focusing particularly on her absent boyfriend. She believed their relationship was developing nicely. They had exchanged numbers shortly after their initial meeting. Togo tended to call or text more often than she did, but she was starting to change that. She'd wake up extra early to prepare a lunchbox for Togo, which he truly appreciated since he couldn't stand the food at school. He would walk her home from school. They had held hands. They had gone on several wonderful dates.

She couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend. She considered herself extremely lucky that Togo was her _first_ boyfriend. At fifteen, Ayano hadn't expected to have so many amazing things to happen during her first year at high school. Naori had assured her the change from middle to high school would be traumatic. A terrifying change she'd never be able to adapt to. But Naori had the habit of over-exaggerating certain things, in order to gain some sort of reaction from her little sister.

Ayano reached into her handbag, retrieving her cell phone. She didn't want to be rude to the others, but she needed to check something. When she flipped her phone open, no one had left her any texts or voice messages. Togo was too busy. With a small smile, Ayano typed up a quick text: '_Hope you're doing okay! I miss you.'_ Feeling content, she sent the message and went to put her phone away.

But her phone vibrated, alerting her of an incoming message. Her smile widened when she saw Togo's name on her screen. He had written: '_im fine bab! i mis u 2! 3'_

Ayano happily texted back: '_We're having fun but I wish you were here.'_

'_me 2! ill def make it up 2 u! gtg! Tel Ryoko 'hi' 4 me! ;)'_

'_I will! Bye! ;) 3'_

After putting her phone away, Ayano cheerfully resumed drinking her milkshake. When she checked back at the cousins, she was caught off guard by Ryoko's sour expression. Ryoko propped her elbow on the table, palmed her cheek and quirked her eyebrow at Ayano. Ayano's positive mood was disturbed by a sense of bewilderment.

Ryoko's lips formed a pout. Ayano couldn't help but smile. Her friend looked even cuter when she pouted. "What're you so happy about?"

Ayano blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"You were giggling over something," Ryoko mumbled. "I was," she looked at Misaki, who was preoccupied with finishing her dessert. "You know, curious. 'Cause we're… friends."

"I was texting Togo," Ayano said. "He says 'hi', by the way."

"Right, your boyfriend," and Ryoko left it at that.

Ayano looked over the melting ice cream and whipped cream in her glass. "Who was that guy, Ryoko?"

"What guy?"

"The guy who saved me?"

The indignant snort from Ryoko made Ayano look up. "You mean, Camille?" Ryoko scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Trust me. You don't want to know about that guy."

"But he saved me," Ayano murmured. "The least I should do is –"

"Man, you must really have some sort of complex –"

"What?" Ayano said. "What was that?"

"F-Forget about it," Ryoko fidgeted in her seat, before she turned her upper body away from Ayano. "I don't know much about him. Well, besides the obvious, that he's a player. He flirts with very girl he sees," Ryoko's eyelids lowered, a disgruntled scowl set on her lips, and then she continued. "We used to go a different skating rink until they closed it down. When we first came here, the jerk wouldn't leave me alone… until another girl came by. Then he was gone. I thought that was the end of that. But then all of a sudden, he came back. He wouldn't leave me alone!"

Ayano couldn't help but ask: "Why?"

"I don't know," Ryoko shrugged. "Every time we come here, he's always bothering me. It's so annoying."

Ayano's lips pursed in thought. "Do you think he likes you?"

"Likes me? That'd be gross!" Ryoko shivered, sticking her tongue out. "He's a womanizer. I hate people like that."

An empty chair dropped onto Ryoko's right side. "I'm hurt you think of me that way, Ryoko," Camille settled onto the seat, slinging his arm around Ryoko to bring her close to him. "I may be a player," he started. "But whoever my partner is will have my mind, heart, and body."

"That's disgusting!" Ryoko smacked her palm on Camille's cheek, shoving him back.

"If you're worried about me being unfaithful, you have nothing to worry about," the ice skater assured her, effortlessly capturing Ryoko's hand. His thumb stroked Ryoko's knuckles. "Your form is so beautiful, Ryoko. Once I saw you on the ice, I knew that you and I were –" a glop of ice cream landed on his face. "— meant to be."

Misaki returned her spoon back into her dessert. "Oops."

"Misaki, you shouldn't do that!" Ryoko tried to scold her cousin through her fit of laughter. She scooted closer to Misaki to ruffle her hair. "It's not good to waste food."

"I'm sure she didn't mean to do that," Ayano said, handing Camille a napkin. "Here you go."

In an instant, Camille flashed a charming smile. Ayano felt her face heat up. "Thank you," he wiped the mess off, before he returned to Ryoko. "As I was saying, Ryoko, you and I –"

This time it was a high-pitched squeal that interrupted Camille. However, the noise brought a rather unusual reaction from the ice skater. Camille's posture became rigid; he sank down in his seat, hooking his finger into his jacket collar to tug his shirt away from his neck. His eyes darted from left to right, while he struggled to keep a calm composure. Ayano would've tried to offer some words of comfort for Camille, but she wasn't sure what she'd be reassuring him of. She was alarmed when Camille's attractive features twisted into one of pure terror.

"Oh no," Camille whispered, voice full of dread. Every ounce of charm on his person abruptly faded. "Not _her_."

"Cammy!"

Ayano jumped, startled, when a bundle of items were promptly thrown onto their table. An assortment of belongings was spread over the tabletop. There weren't a particular pattern involved with the items. They were completely random, ranging from a toy car, a stuffed toy, a pink plastic fork, a pack of batteries and a pair of lime green headphones.

"_Camille!_ Stop ignoring me!"

Next, hands slammed onto the table, pushing urgently to hoist a young woman on top of it. The woman appeared to be a small girl, almost Misaki's age. However, Ayano had a hunch this woman was well into her thirties, given the sight of wrinkles which were more evident when she scowled. The woman's long way hair was abundant, rick and silky – much like Camille's dark tresses – but Ayano caught a few strands of gray hair mixed in. They weren't noticeable, unless one paid close attention to the details. A big pink bow was nestled neatly in her hair. The woman was adorned in a lovely pink dress with ribbons and frills and ruffles.

"Look, Cammy, _look!_" the woman leaned forward. The table teetered as she did so, as she giddily presented Camille with a piece of candy. "Isn't it cute?"

Ryoko's glanced between the woman and Camille. "Cammy," she said. "Mind telling us what the hell's going on? Who is this lady?"

The woman blinked, as if she only realized there were other people around her. She looked at each one of the girls, but her gaze lingered on Misaki. Without warning, the woman knocked Misaki's dessert off the table. The bowl connected with the floor with a loud crash. "That is _so_ cute! Isn't it, Cammy?" she didn't wait for a reply; instead she snatched Misaki's backpack from her lap.

"Hey!" Misaki wailed (it was the loudest Ayano ever heard her speak), leaping onto her feet to grab what was taken from her. "Ryuku gave me that! Give it back!"

Misaki's backpack was kept out of her reach. The table wobbled as the two engaged in a fiery battle. With so much additional weight on such a flimsy table, Ayano worried the table would collapse at any moment.

The woman poked her tongue out at Misaki. "Charlene belongs to Azusa now!" she announced smugly. "Isn't that right, Cammy?"

Camille covered his face with his hand. "Mom," his misery was muffled by his palm. "I thought we talked about this. You can't just _take_ things from people."

"_She's_ your _mom?_" Ryuku exploded with laughter. "And she's taking things from… _kids?_"

"You don't have to remind me of my relation to this thing," Camille sighed. He rose to his feet, taking every presumably stolen item off the table. "I better return these," he plucked Misaki's backpack from Azusa and handed it to Misaki, who sniffled before harshly snatching it. Misaki hugged the bag close to her chest, throwing a heated glare at Camille's mother "I apologize for my… mom's lack of self-control."

"Camille!" Azusa hopped onto Camille's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Thankfully, she wasn't choking him or causing her son any pain. All it appeared she was doing was hanging onto him like a monkey. "How mean! You gave away Azusa's Charlene! Camille's a meanie, a big fat meanie!"

Camille's shoulders sagged in defeat, as he left with his mother in tow. Even as they moved farther away, everyone in the ice rink could hear Azusa's shrill cries: "Azusa hates Camille! Azusa _hates_ Camille!"

**X**

For such a frail girl, Ayano managed to have quite a grip. _Gashu's_ friend was holding tight onto Ryuku's forearms, absolutely refusing to let go. "I'm not going to let you fall!"

"I-I know! I'm sorry! I just I," Ayano stared at the ice, gnawing at her lower lip. If she kept biting at the stupid thing, she was going to chew it off one day. "I can't do it!"

_I did_ not _sign up for this shit_. "If you let go," Ryuku struggled to keep from lashing out at the girl. "You can do anything." It was probably the dumbest advice she'd ever said to anyone, but presumably Ayano absorbed it.

Nodding, Ayano's hold began to slowly loosen. "O-Okay," she muttered. "I can do this."

"Come on," Ryuku urged. "You're almost there, Ayano."

"Have you ever fallen down?"

"Everyone falls down," Ryuku said. "Misaki fell down when she first started. Ifell down. It wasn't like we learned this overnight."

"Everyone falls down," Ayano repeated weakly. Her hands slid down Ryuku's forearms, where she grasped at Ryuku's hands instead. "I-I'm sorry! I can't help it. I'm scared."

Ryuku bit back a snappy retort. She breathed in and out. _Take it easy, Saotome. _"Okay," she breathed. "Just, make sure you got a good grip. I'm going to skate over to Misaki," Ayano's eyes widened with fear. "Misaki's right over there," since her hands were currently occupied, Ryuku gestured to her cousin with a tilt of her head. "Don't freak out."

Slowly, Ryuku skated to Misaki. She used precise strides forward, where the only thing Ayano had to do was keep steady. When they reached Misaki, Ryuku was unaware of her cousin staring at their joined hands. "There," she said, squeezing Ayano's hands. "That wasn't so bad, was it? You didn't even fall down."

"You're right," Ayano squeezed back. "That wasn't bad at all. It was almost… fun."

Ryuku snorted. "I wouldn't exaggerate that much. You can say it's fun once you do all the work."

In response, Ayano giggled. "Could I do that?"

"Huh?" Ryuku blinked. "Do what?"

"Well, what you did," Ayano said, smiling. "How about I skate over to where the snack bar is?"

Ryuku stared down at their hands lightly gripped together. "Uh, you mean, like _this?_" she stuttered. "Let's _not_ do that. I mean, you have a boyfriend and –"

"I don't think Togo would mind," Ayano laughed.

"Right, 'cause we're girls," Ryuku huffed. "I was just showing you that ice skating can be fun."

"Ryoko," Misaki said, knocking Ayano and Ryuku's hands away from each other. "I can help her."

Ryuku checked behind her. There was a nagging feeling she couldn't shake off. Someone was watching her ever since they'd gotten back in the ice rink. Her eyes landed on someone nonchalantly leaning against the railing. They were alone, lounging far away from everyone else. _Like that isn't suspicious._ Ryuku lips fell into a frown. At first, she ignored whoever the freak was, but it didn't seem like they were going to leave anytime soon. When a girl skated past them, Ryuku's eye twitched, as she caught them shamelessly ogling the skater. _Great, this freak's a pervert. _The freak caught Ryuku's gaze and gestured her over with a welcoming wave.

"I'll be right back," Ryuku told the others, before she went over to the freak. Whoever this guy was she capable of handling herself. They were covering their face with a hood, while a beanie was pulled over half their face. As she came closer, it wasn't long before she could recognize the lecherous stranger. "What are _you_ doing here?"

His double inclined his head, although, the movement did little to hide his grin. "It looks like you girls are having fun," Gashu said. "I saw you holding hands with Ayano, you sly dog."

"No. No chitchat. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just, you know, admiring the skaters," Gashu peered at a group of girls nearby. "I never realized how many chicks were into this ice skating thing. It's just something to think about for the future," he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I have something that belongs to you."

Gashu shrugged off his backpack to place it on the railing. Immediately, there was a movement inside the bag. Muffled sounds alerted Ryuku that there was something _alive_ and kicking in the double's backpack. Gashu removed the flap, revealing a blanket inside. A snout poked out from the blanket, snorting softly, before it revealed itself – it was a black piglet.

"Ryou?" Ryuku glared at Gashu. "Why do you have him shoved in your bag?"

"I found Ryota here wandering around the house," Gashu informed matter-of-factly. "I'll give the guy some credit. I didn't even notice him sneak in. He wouldn't tell me anything, no matter how much I bugged him. When he finally got fed up, he tried leaving but he wasn't looking where he was going and he ended up in the koi pond. I figure it'd be easier to just bring him this way."

"What if he suffocated in there?"

"Relax, Ichigo, this isn't the first time I've had a piggy in my bag," the double said. "But Ryota didn't try to bite me so many times. His teeth really sink into the skin," he hiked his shirt sleeve up to his elbow, showing various teeth marks on his forearm. "He better hope these don't scar."

"You probably deserved it," Ryuku brought Ryou out of the backpack. She cradled the piglet in her arms, still keeping him wrapped up in the blanket. "I guess I should thank you for bringing him, instead of dumping him off somewhere."

"I'm not a jerk, Ichigo," Gashu glanced over the rink. "So," he drawled. "This is fun?"

Ryuku scowled. "This is the part where you leave."

"Aw, but I just got here!"

"Didn't you have something to do?" Ryuku asked. "Isn't that the reason why you couldn't hang out with Ayano?"

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Fine," he grunted, pushing himself off the railing. "I'm going, I'm going. Jeez."

Ryuku's eyes trailed after the double. Once she was positive Gashu had actually left, Ryuku went to rejoin the others. Misaki and Ayano hadn't moved an inch. Misaki was continuously circling around Ayano. Meanwhile, Ayano was keeping herself upright with unsteady footing. Ayano's face brightened when she saw Ryuku skating towards her. Of course, Ayano had to be the one to mention the bundle Ryuku in her arms.

"What are you holding?" With a soft snort, Ryou shuffled in Ryuku's arms, nudging the blanket aside to peer up at Ayano. Like Ryuku predicted, Ayano reacted like any other girl did when they saw Ryou in his cursed form. Ryuku could never understand the appeal of a small piglet. "It's adorable!" Ayano gushed. "Is it a boy or girl piggy?"

"It's a boy."

Ayano bowed down closer, cooing nonsense to Ryou. She stroked Ryou's head, affectionately rubbing the piglet's ears. "Can I hold him?"

"He doesn't like to be held by strangers," was the abrupt answer from Misaki, who had appeared next to Ryuku's side. Wordlessly, she took the bundle from Ryuku and protectively brought Ryou close to her chest.

Ayano's smile faded, but she wasn't deterred from fussing over the small animal. "He is cute though. Does he belong to you, Ryoko?"

"Uh, sort of, he belongs to a friend," Ryuku looked over Misaki's shoulder, watching her cousin inspect each of Ryou's hooves. "Sometimes, we look after him."

"I always wanted a pet," Ayano murmured wistfully. "But my dad doesn't care much for animals and so does my sister."

"Do you want him?" It was a reflex, a dumb joke – the question left Ryuku's mouth, before she could take it back. Three pairs of eyes glanced at her, each displaying a different reaction. There was the expected glare from Ryou, Misaki's puzzled look and a hopeful look from Ayano. Ryuku shrugged, as she reached over Misaki to tug one of Ryou's ears. "Believe me, you wouldn't want him. He may look cute now but he's high maintenance."

Ayano laughed. "It's a good thing he's so cute then."

Ryuku held back a snort. No one else had caught Ryou's blush. Even when he was a piglet, his best friend tended to become flustered whenever he was given a compliment from a girl. "Let her hold him, Misaki," her cousin turned to Ryuku, sporting a dejected pout. "Don't look at me like that."

Misaki's pout deepened into a scowl, but she remained silent, as she handed the piglet to Ayano.

"Be careful with him," Ryuku told Ayano, although the girl was already being very gentle with her best friend. "One of his, err, hooves are hurt."

"Oh, you poor thing," Ayano frowned. "What happened to the little guy? Is he okay?"

Ryuku didn't have a chance to respond, due to her cousin hovering around Ayano and Ryou. "Be careful," she mumbled curtly. "You're hurting him."

Concern flashed in Ayano's eyes. "I-I am?"

"See? This is why he doesn't like strangers," Misaki reclaimed the piglet from Ayano. She examined Ryou, as if the several moments Ryou was in Ayano's arms something horrible happened, and dipped her head back to glare at the girl. "You hurt him," she retorted, using a harsh accusing tone, and then fiercely pushed Ayano back. "You're not being careful!"

Ryuku gawked at her cousin in disbelief. That type of behavior was so unlike her. "Misaki, what're you doing!?"

Ayano's frightened screams echoed throughout the ice rink. The poor girl hadn't even developed a steady grasp of skating forwards, who could she possibly stop herself without tumbling over? Ayano was gliding backwards at an uncontrollable speed. She was flailing her arms about desperately, doing a rather pitiable impression of a frightened chicken. Ayano must've thought the frantic gestures would, somehow, save her from her impending icy fate.

"Stay here, Misaki," Ryuku told Misaki. "I need to help Ayano." Hopefully, this time, she'd be able to help Ayano without an unwanted third party interfering.

Her cousin spoke softly, so softly, Ryuku almost didn't hear her say: "Why?"

Ryuku's eyebrows furrowed from confusion. Why was Misaki acting so oddly? "How can you ask that?" she asked. "You already know the answer, Misaki. I'll be right back, okay? Just – just look after, Ryou."

There was a sharp tug on the back of Ryuku's sweater jacket. "Ryuku…"

"I don't have time to –"

"Are you mad at me?"

Ryuku's heart broke at how defeated her cousin sounded. "Misaki," she sighed. "I could never be mad at you. I'm just, we'll talk later." and with that, Ryuku chased after Ayano, going as fast as her lithe form allowed her.

She went around the other skaters in her path. Further ahead, Ryuku could spot others narrowly missing Ayano. Wouldn't it have been much easier if someone thought to _stop_ the girl? Along the way, Ryuku ducked under an oblivious couple, slipping between their interlinked hands with their arms extended, and prevented a number of children from falling. _I'm almost there._ But as she reached closer and closer to Ayano a blur caught her eye. Just as before, the ice skater managed to be several steps ahead of Ryuku, once again coming to Ayano's rescue. Camille lifted Ayano in his arms and recreated another stomach-churning scene of a surreal couple.

"Camille!" Ryuku shouted at the top of her lungs. "Would you quit touching her! She has a freaking boyfriend!"

Camille skated around Ryuku, keeping her confined in an imaginary circle. It was as if he was a starving predator circling its seemingly vulnerable prey. "You're so protective of your friends, Ryoko," he chuckled lowly. "Calm down, won't you? You already know that you have me."

"You shouldn't be so persistent!" Ayano said.

"I'm sorry," Camille drawled, slowing his pace slightly to acknowledge Ayano's rather bold statement. "Did you say something, sweetheart?"

Ayano avoided Camille's charming smile. "Ryoko has a boyfriend."

"As do you," the ice skater readily reminded Ayano. "Is that supposed to be a problem?"

Disgruntled, Ryuku was baffled by Ayano's exclaim, but decided to keep this boyfriend business to herself for the time being. _This is probably Gashu's crap._

As if things weren't already bad enough, it turned out that leaving Misaki by herself was a horrible, horrible idea.

"_Go away!_"

Ryuku almost didn't want to see what caused Misaki's shrill outburst. She had a hunch she wouldn't like what she'd see. Unfortunately, the racket was such a flamboyant display that nearly every skater's gaze was attracted to the cry of her cousin. _Shit_. Groaning, Ryuku refrained from smacking her palm on her forehead. Perhaps, for some reason, she deserved this. She was practically asking for something to happen by leaving Misaki to the clutches of Camille's insane mother.

"Charlotte!" Azusa wailed, before she attempted to steal Ryou from Misaki. "She looks just like Azusa's lost widdle Charlotte!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Ryuku grumbled.

Still holding Ayano, Camille skated forward, until he stood in front of Ryuku. "It seems like my mom has taken a liking to your pig."

"I don't care," Ryuku spat. "She can't have the pig."

Camille clucked his tongue. "That's what I was afraid of," he sighed, despite not looking the least bit apologetic. "Sadly, when my mom has her heart set on something it isn't easy for her to let go," the ice skater pause, his lips pursed. "Of course, I suppose being her son has its… advantages at times. She _does_ listen to me from time to time."

Ryuku's eyes narrowed on Camille. "What are you getting at?"

"It's simple, Ryoko," Camille said. "Become my partner and, to express my undying gratitude, I'll give you back your pig."

Ryuku snorted. "That's not a fair trade!"

"Alright, fair point, how about this? You –"

"If you're asking for a date, the answer's no," Ryuku stated firmly. "I'm not interested."

"The idea's tempting, but no," Camille smirked. "You see, my mom's been trying to find me a partner. She believes no one will ever fit the spot, which means she'll be the only woman in my heart. My poor mom's delusional."

"I think she's a bit more than that," Ryuku commented offhandedly.

"Ryoko, just skate with me," Camille suggested. "Just this one time, that's all I'm asking."

Ryuku pinched her eyes shut. Normally, she would've rejected him in a heartbeat, but given the circumstances it looked like she had no choice. "Fine, I'll do it. Now get your mom away from my cousin and the pig."

"Anything for you, honey," Camille said, gliding forward.

"Wait!" Ryuku seized Camille by his jacket sleeve. "Put _her_ down first, idiot!"

Camille blinked. "What?" a smile brightened his face when he saw he was still holding Ayano. "How could I forget about _you?_"

"Camille, what'd I just say?!" Ryuku yelled.

**X**

Written in big bold letters, on the sign taped to the door located near the back of snack bar, was the words "Employees Only". The sign was disregarded by Camille, as the ice skater insistently ushered Ryuku through the door. As they walked down the hallway, Ryuku lagged slightly behind Camille. Compared to the few ice rinks Ryuku had gone to in the past, the one Camille frequented seemed to be more invested in appearance – the backroom wasn't any difference from the interior. The corridor's walls were painted in rich colors, which were visually appealing to the eyes. Various posters promoting the extravagance of ice skating decorated the walls, along with photographs of unfamiliar ice skaters (most of which, Ryuku noticed, were couples). Despite the many photographs adorning the vicinity, only a handful was framed neatly. There were also scribbles hastily drawn over the photos, although, only the males in the images had been vandalized by the angry red ink from a marker.

Ryuku's strides paused briefly, as she stood on her tiptoes to look over a particular photo. She could've sworn the pair depicted was her parents. They looked younger, almost her age, but Ryuku couldn't pinpoint the scenario. She recognized the pigtail and her mother's short hair. They were dressed in peculiar costumes, were posed as if they hadn't expected the sudden photo. Her mother was held in her father's arms, a fierce expression written on her father's face – a fury flashing in his eyes. Ryuku's gaze flickered over to Camille, who hadn't yet saw she'd stopped following. She could mention the photo. There was a slight chance Camille would know the story behind it.

Camille's smooth voice cut into Ryuku's ears. "The photos are nice, I know, but you can admire them some other time. Right now, we have other things to do."

Ryuku glared at the back of the ice skater's head. He hadn't bothered to stop; he'd simply kept walking further down the hall. Reluctantly, she moved to follow Camille. "I didn't think this was going to be some big production."

"Finding my partner is always a big deal."

"I'm sure it is," Ryuku scoffed. "Since when do you have the power to kick everyone out of the rink?"

"I have the power to do many things," was Camille's simple reply. "When my father's the owner of this fine establishment, I can practically do anything I want."

There was a beat, while Ryuku let Camille's answer register, before she blurted. "Your dad owns this place?"

"There's a good chance you've already met him."

"He's not anything like –"

"Like my mom?" Camille finished for Ryuku, laughing. "No, he's far from it. He's more of a," he stopped to admire a poster on the wall. "What's the word?" he flicked the male in the photograph, who was embracing his partner in a suggestive position. "An asshole, scumbag, jerk," he listed. "I could go on and on about the man, but I don't want to bore you."

"Not a big fan of daddy?" Ryuku asked.

"Afraid not," Camille remarked coolly. "He owns this rink and has plenty of staff, but he still chooses to work the ticket booth."

"Wait a minute!" Ryuku retorted. "Are you telling me your dad is that sleazebag, who keeps trying to get girls to kiss him just to get a dumb ticket?"

Camille smiled thinly. "That sounds like him."

Ryuku scoffed, disgusted. "He should be arrested! Or – or, I don't know, punched in the face! He _is_ an asshole."

"It helps that old age hasn't treated him too badly," Camille stated. "You know, my dad claims that _he's_ the one bringing the customers. But we all know who the girls really keep coming for, right?" after giving Ryuku a flirtatious wink, he resumed taking long strides down the hallway.

"Where are we going anyway?" Ryuku grunted, having no choice but to continue trailing after the ice skater. "You just dragged me back here. I thought we were going to skate. That was what you wanted, wasn't it?"

"Don't worry, we will be skating," Camille assured her. "It's just, if you're going to be my partner, you can't be wearing _that_."

Scowling, Ryuku half-heartedly looked over her clothing. Her double had been quite proud of what he'd thrown together for her to wear. _What is it with everyone's obsession with clothes?_ "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"There's nothing wrong with your clothes. You look very lovely today," the ice skater complimented, while attempting to bedazzle Ryuku with another photographic smile. "But on the ice we're supposed to be team – a couple. One with the ice," Ryuku stared at him blankly, until Camille deadpanned. "We should match, Ryoko."

The walk led Ryuku to the furthest door on the right. Hanging on the door was a pink duck labeled _Azusa's Room_ in cartoon-type font. Letting out a scoff, Camille removed the sign and swung the door open. Instantly, the lights were switched on, brightening the contents inside, which revealed the pinkest room Ryuku's ever seen. Everything was so pink Ryuku couldn't directly look at anything, without feeling somewhat nauseous. The braver of the two, Camille, who seemed unfazed by the sheer feminine touch around him, ventured inside first and tossed the Azusa's sign a shiny pearl dresser.

"Nothing's going to bite you, I promise," Camille said, strolling over to one of the many racks filled with a variety of clothing. "When I was younger we used to run little shows for kids. Naturally, I headlined for them. We kept the costumes in this room, until my mom decided it'd be better suited for her," that explained the random piles of items stashed throughout the room. "It wasn't a terrible loss; my dad never cared much for children. Anyway, enough with that, I'm sure we can find something to use in here."

Camille sorted through the racks, silently skimming every outfit, while making soft disapproving sounds. Ryuku stayed perfectly still, standing in the middle of everything. She didn't want to touch or really look at anything. Warily, Ryuku eyed the door – her only exit and tossed over the idea of bolting. While it was a lovely thought, she couldn't go through with it_._

"Aha!" Camille announced cheerfully. "This should work nicely." Gingery, he folded the clothing over a finely crafted chair stationed in front of a mirror lighted up by light bulbs. "I'll be in the next room over. If something goes wrong, or you need help with _anything_, don't be afraid to call me. I'm here for you." He left with his own costume and shut the door, after flashing Ryuku a polite smile.

Ryuku stuck her tongue out at the door. "Ass," she muttered, under her breath.

She searched the room for a bag of some sort. A few minutes of sorting through countless junk left Ryuku with a drawstring bag. Ryuku wasn't sure what could've been possibly appealing about a simple drawstring bag – it was an inexpensive sports brand one – that Camille's mother would resort to stealing it from somewhere. But Ryuku didn't care enough to mull over her mild curiosity. She shed out of her clothes, cramming everything inside the bag, before pulling on her costume. Ryuku grimaced at her reflection. The costume was revealing. The fabric was tight, clinging onto her torso. The soft purple fabric of the skirt was transparent, clearly displaying her thighs, which made the skirt completely pointless. The collar was low, so low that despite Ryuku's efforts to yank it up, it didn't budge. Her cleavage was out for the word to see.

Ryuku was fuming. _That pervert!_

The light caught something on her chest, causing it to sparkle, as Ryuku slammed her fist on the counter. Puzzled, Ryuku wrapped her hand around the sparkle and looked over it in her palm. It was the necklace she'd given to Gashu. The double must've slipped it on her without her noticing.

There was a knock on the door. Ryuku stomped over to slam the door open. Camille stood before Ryuku in the hallway; his hands jammed into the pants pockets of his costume. Of course, Camille was dressed more conservatively than Ryuku. He was going on about how they should be matching. The only similarities between their costumes were the color theme: purple and white and the design of orchids.

When Ryuku caught Camille's gaze, he had on a smug smirk. "Like what you see?"

Ryuku hit the ice skater with her bag, before harshly brushing past him. "Let's just get this over with."

"Hold on, beautiful, you're missing something," Camille leaned forward, as he took out one of his hands from his pocket. Ryuku snapped her hand around his wrist, halting his movements. Camille was startled, his eyes broadening – but his recovery was swift. "Relax; I wasn't going to do anything. Just put this on." He showed Ryuku was he was holding: an orchid to pin in her hair.

"Just hurry up!"

"Don't be like that," Camille tease, while he pinned the orchid in place. "I know you're excited."

Ryuku snorted, slinging her bag over her shoulder and marched down the hallway. "You're confusing exited with annoyed."

"It's not healthy to be in so much denial, sweetheart."

"Why are you so obsessed with this, anyway?" Ryuku quipped, reaching her hand up to lightly touch the flower in her hair. "Heck, why are you so hung up on _me?_ There are plenty of girls out there, who'd actually _want_ to be your partner. Why don't you go ask one of them instead? It'd be less of a hassle."

"Most of the girls don't come here to skate," Camille replied. "They come here with other things in mind. The majority of them don't even know _how _to skate! You think I'd want to skate with someone like that?"

"And apparently I know how to skate?" Ryuku countered. "Look, I only come here for my cousin. She can't get enough of ice skating."

A hand gripped onto Ryuku's shoulder, which spun her around to face Camille. "Have you heard of the Golden Pair?"

"No," Ryuku muttered, shrugging off Camille's hand. "Why? Am I supposed to know them?"

"That's not surprising," Camille said, shaking his head. A faraway expression washed over his face, as he added. "The Golden Pair used to be an incredible team. They hated each other but they could skate. I think we could be a great team, if you gave us a chance."

"You and me," Ryuku gestured between them. "We wouldn't work out."

"If there was one thing I was grateful about my mom raising me, it's that she taught me how to ice skate. But I never truly enjoyed myself, I've been missing something for seventeen years," Camille said. "For Martial Arts Figure Skating, I need a partner," he took hold of Ryuku's hand. "Will you be my partner?"

"What do you mean 'Martial Arts Figure Skating'? I thought we were just ice skating!"

Camille led her down the hallway; they walked back to the entrance of the employee area. He held the door for Ryuku. "You'll see."

**X**

"She can't have him!"

"He's ours!"

"It's not fair! I love him! _I _loved him first!"

Shortly after Camille's announcement, a crowd had gathered around the ice rink. The sheer amount of people, most of which were girls voicing their frustrations, greatly exceeded the number of people allowed in the building. Sandwiched between a rowdy middle aged woman and a girl still wearing her high school uniform was Ayano, who was trying to keep Misaki close by. Ryoko's cousin batted Ayano away from her, while she protectively kept the piglet close to her. After being jabbed in the side by a violent member of the crowd, Ayano sighed in defeat and left Misaki alone. She stepped closer to the high schooler, who at one point, had fallen with a group. Each one in the group was wielding a sign, which they were wildly waving in the air.

Ayano asked the girl. "Is all this attention for Camille?"

The girl gave her a dirty glare. "Of course, we're here for Camille! _I'm _his biggest fan!" she lowered her voice, when shouts of disagreements were thrown her way. "The members from his fan clubs can get a bit crazy. We're not all like that."

"He has fan clubs?"

"Of course, he does! Camille has lots of them!" the girl boasted. "I just started mine a few months ago. We call ourselves 'Camille's Perfect Skaters'. I'm club president. Were you thinking of joining a club? If you are, you should join mine!"

"Uh, I-I'll think about it," Ayano said. "What can you tell me about him?"

The girl handed her sign to a girl next to her. "See this uniform? I go to the same school as him, Kolkhoz High School. He's a third year. He's seventeen; five foot eleven, and one hundred seventy pounds. His birthday's on November eleventh. His full name is Camille Shiratori-Sanzenin. His parents are former Golden Pair: Azusa Shiratori and Mikado Sanzenin. He can rollerblade, surf and skateboard. But he _loves_ to ice skate the best. He's skated ever since he could walk and –"

"Thank you for telling me all that," Ayano interrupted gently. "But I meant, what sort of food does he like? I really want to thank him for saving me."

"You know, you're really lucky," the girl sighed. "Not only did Camille rescue you once but _twice!_ Oh, what was it like? I always dream what it'd be like to be swept away in his arms! Did he smell good? I heard he smells like… _perfection._"

Ayano let out an uneasy laugh. "It was… okay."

"A lot of girls don't like you, you know," the girl set her sign down briefly to pat Ayano's shoulder. "But don't worry. You're safe."

"What do you mean?"

"The only ones that need to worry are the girls Camille picks."

"That doesn't sound good," Ayano said weakly. "What's going to happen?"

The girl thrust her sign back up. "You're about to find out!"

**X**

The cheering that welcomed them as they entered the rink was deafening. Ryuku's jaw dropped as she took in the crowd gathered around the parameter of the ice rink. _Where did all these people come from?_ She turned to Camille, who was eating everything up, smiling politely and waving, which seemed to turn up the volume on the crowd. Ryuku nudged Camille in the abdomen, grabbing his attention. "I thought you kicked everyone out!"

"Well, just off the ice," Camille pointed out. "Everyone can choose to stay if they want. I don't mind. I enjoy having an audience."

"_I_ mind!"

Camille smiled at Ryuku. "Are you nervous? Don't be. I'm right here beside you."

Ryuku's shoulders dropped. "That's not comforting at all."

"All we're doing is a test run," Camille said. "It won't take long. At most, I'd say it'd at least be six minutes."

"Six minutes?"

"Or less," Camille considered. "It won't take long to win you over, Ryoko. Once you realize what we can do together, as the Golden Pair, you'll be thrilled to be by my side."

Ryuku shoved Camille forward. "Let's just get this over with already. I've got better things to do."

As the pair entered the rink, Camille brought Ryuku towards him, all the while ignoring Ryuku's complaints. The crowd cheered even more. Ryuku winced, it sounded like some girls were sobbing hysterically. Right now would be the perfect time for a hole to form under Ryuku and swallow her up. Not only was she being forced to skate with an annoying flirt, but she was wearing the most embarrassing thing. Bloody Knife Saotome in some sort of strange tutu? Ryou would never let her live this down.

"Don't be shy," Camille said. "Let everyone see your pretty face."

Ryuku kept her head lowered. "Are we done yet? Has it been six minutes yet?"

"The fun hasn't even started yet."

"What are you talking about?" Ryuku didn't receive an answer from the ice skater. Instead, Camille curled his arm around her waist, abruptly lifting Ryuku off the ice. "What are you doing? Put me down!"

There was something flying in the air, heading towards them. From the looks of it, it was an empty soda can. The cheers from the audience had changed. As Ryuku listened closely, she could still hear cheering but they weren't cheering for her. They were cheering for Camille. Mixed in with the boundless enthusiasm for the ice skater were threats for Ryuku. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a barrage of items was thrown at them.

"They're throwing stuff at us!" Ryuku shouted.

"Yes, they are!" Camille spun, setting Ryuku on the ice and sending her sailing to the trash falling onto them.

Ryuku dodged the sudden gale of trash. "What was that for?! What's going on?"

Camille waved at the people, keeping up appearances. "It's starting."

"What has?"

"They're checking," Camille replied. "They're checking if you're worthy enough to be my partner."

It became a deluge of garbage sailing directly for Ryuku. She zipped across the ice, checking every direction for any sign of trash. So far, everything had been a breeze. Aiming seemed to be an issue for this crowd. Ryuku glanced over at Camille, seeing how the ice skater was faring through this. He was doing alright since no one was throwing _anything_ at him.

"What the –" Ryuku gritted her teeth together. _That bastard! _"What the heck is this, Camille?"

"I already told you, Ryoko, they're testing you!"

"_Testing? _I didn't sign up for this shit!"

"I'd prefer to do without it too, but what can I do?"

"Stop it!"

"We could work together," Camille suggested. "We're partners, after all."

Ryuku extended her middle finger in the air, which resulted in something slimy landing on her face. Growling, Ryuku swiped away the slime – it was a banana peel – she kept moving, weaving her way through the mess collecting on the ice. Everything thrown at her seemed random. Risking a quick once over on the audience, Ryuku saw that a hefty majority of them had trash bags. The main motivation for coming to the rink appeared to be to throw things at her, and anything was fair game as long as it hurt. Ryuku bent down as she skated, she sorted through the ice and threw things over her shoulder.

"Bingo!" Ryuku grinned, grasping the item triumphantly, as she jolted upward.

Ryuku ducked, as something whizzed past her head. She undid the snap, searched for the button. It was old-fashioned. Urgently, she pushed up and up until it gave and opened. Ryuku held the umbrella over her head, as she zoomed through the rink. _That took care of everything overhead_. Her sides were still vulnerable, as was the ground, but she could handle that. Her main goal was to get back to Camille, since the crowd wouldn't dare to throw anything at him. Ryuku leapt up, kicked a carton of milk out of her path, and gracefully landed back on the ice. The umbrella shook slightly in her grip; Ryuku glanced up, and blanched when she saw a fork had stabbed through the thin material.

"Are they trying to _kill_ me?" Ryuku hissed to herself.

Ryuku increased her speed; she needed to get to Camille.

"No one's ever lasted _this_ long! You should be proud of yourself, Ryoko!" Camille called out. "You're one of a kind! Just the girl I've been waiting for!"

_If you want a partner so bad, you'll get one._ As she reached Camille, Ryuku jumped into the air and held her arms out. "Catch me, big guy!"

Camille welcomed Ryuku into his arms. "Have you finally accepted?"

"I want us to skate together," Ryuku returned Camille's smile. "I want everyone to see what we can do _together_."

Camille beamed. "Of course."

"First thing first, partner," Ryuku said, trailing her fingers in circles on Camille's shoulder. "Can't you do something about this audience?"

"_We_ can," Camille hoisted Ryuku onto his shoulder. "I always wanted to try _Assault of a Hundred Foes_ with someone like you."without warning, the ice skater began to spin around and around circles. Ryuku grasped onto Camille's shoulders, trying to keep herself from falling.

Camille's speed was almost inhuman. He whirled around consistently, as the world around them appeared to move slower and slower – Ryuku could see the items in the air. She thrust her leg out, nudging them out of the way. Camille moved Ryuku from his shoulder, tossing her in the air, and grabbing hold of both of wrists. He continued to spin, Ryuku knocked at every piece, using an extra push to send the items back into the audience. Once again, Ryuku found herself floating briefly, as Camille punched and kicked everything out of his way. Camille joined her to reach for her hands, as he effortlessly landed on the ice, and sent Ryuku between his legs. The ice skater switched positions, reclaiming Ryuku's hands, as she cleaned the ice with long sweeps of her legs. Every item was sent back to the crowd, as less and less junk was thrown at the pair.

Ryuku turned to Camille. "Good job."

"It was amazing, wasn't it? I knew we'd be great together," he took out a pocket watch from inside his jacket. "And it's only been five minutes."

"_What the hell is going on here?_"

Camille's face pinched into an unflattering expression. "First, it was her and now I have to deal with _him?_" he sighed, but squeezed Ryuku's hands. "At least, I have you now."

A man entered the ice rink. Immediately, Ryuku recognized him from the ticket booth. Camille's infamous father had stumbled upon the scene. "Camille! What are you doing?" he snapped, as he skated up to his son. Camille was taller than him by a few good inches. "Is this another one of your girls? I'm sorry, your partner?" he rolled his eyes. "I'm running a fine establishment here. Doing such immature things isn't good for business. People come here to skate; they don't come here for _you_."

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. "Camille!"

Ryuku slipped away from Camille. "Now what's happening?"

"There's the asshole! He's the one that stole my girlfriend!"

"My girl left our date because of him!"

"Our anniversary was ruined because of that asshole!"

Camille cocked his head. "Huh," he murmured. "I forgot about this part."

"Everyone who doesn't have a ticket needs to leave!" Camille's father exclaimed, as he stomped closer to an area of the rink. "Right now! The show's over!"

"Wait a sec!" someone cried. "That's the freak that tried making my wife kiss him!"

Out of nowhere, things were beginning to grow frantic. Now, it seemed that it was Camille's turn to have objects thrown at him. Ryuku scanned the crowd for Misaki and Ayano. As soon as she spotted them, she signaled her cousin that it was time to leave.

Ryuku skated up Camille. "Well, I'm leaving now."

"But we've just started Ryoko I –"

"My end of this deal is done," Ryuku stated firmly. "Don't bother asking me for anything again. I'm going to another ice rink."

Camille touched her shoulder. "Ryoko, wait!"

"Oh, yeah," Ryuku paused and brought her arm back. "This is for keeping certain parts _out_ of our deal, asshole!" and, with a swift jab, delivered a forceful punch upon Camille's pretty face. Content, Ryuku waved the pain off her had, as she skated off to rejoin Misaki and Ayano – leaving the chaos behind.

**X**

Ryuku was greeted with silence as she stepped into her house. Heaving a tired sigh, Ryuku toed off her shoes, before walking further inside. She didn't bother to check up on her double. She bounded up the stairs, taking a quick trip to her bedroom to grab some spare clothes, and then left for the furo. After she filled the furo with warm water, she left a towel and fresh clothes near the exit and tossed Ryou into the water. In the next room, Ryuku waited in the laundry room, idly looking through the piles of dirty clothes left on the dryer. Maybe sometime next week, she'd set aside some time to make the pile a little smaller. After several minutes had passed, the door slid and Ryou emerged in Ryuku's male clothes. Beside an inch difference in height, Ryuku's clothes fit the lost boy neatly.

Ryou glanced at the laundry rather than Ryuku. It looked like he was still sore about female mirror clone of his best friend hitting on him. "Um, thanks, Ryuku."

"Your arm," Ryuku said. "You need a sling. Do you remember where you left your things?"

"I, uh, wait," Ryou stepped forward. "I-I'm sorry. That's why I came here to apologize about before."

Ryuku blinked. "You mean, on the phone?"

Ryou nodded. "Yeah, I should've handled that better."

"You're an idiot," Ryuku snorted. "Couldn't you have just called, instead of coming over? You would've avoided this whole day."

The lost boy shook his head. "I couldn't," he said, lowering his head. "If I had called, I wouldn't have seen you in that _amazing_ outfit. You were so beautiful out there on the ice."

"You ass, you think I enjoyed that?" Ryuku laughed, playfully punching Ryou's good arm. "Come on, let's get your sling."

The friends left the furo, where they immediately ran into the double. "You guys!" Gashu squealed excitedly, ushering the two to the main room. "Check this out! The rink's on the news!"

On the TV, the ice rink – or what was left of the rink – was displayed on the screen. Someone was interviewing Camille's father, while another news station could be seen asking for details from Camille. Despite sporting a black eye, the ice skater still attempted to charm the newswoman, who appeared to be uninterested. Suddenly, Azusa's face invaded the screen. "This is so cute!" she announced, before everything went black. Voices could be heard in the background, as the crew struggled to regain their camera from the determined woman.

"What'd you guys do?" Gashu asked.

Ryou's belongings were scattered next to the double. "I found your stuff!" was what Ryuku said, avoiding the question. She gave Ryou his sling. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"That depends," Ryou mumbled, as he slipped his arm through the sling. "Who's cooking?"

"I'm a pretty awesome cook!" Gashu chipped in. "Ichigo agrees with me!"

Ryou shot Gashu an uncertain glance. "_I'll_ cook."

"What kind of look was that, piggy?" Gashu bristled, as he trailed after the friends to the kitchen. "I should've cooked you when I had the chance! I _love_ roasted pork!"


	32. Ch 24: An Identity Ramshackle!

**Chapter 24:** An Identity Ramshackle!

The Kuno mansion was one of Nerima's most grand estates. For a little more than a decade the Kunos were, more or less, the richest family in the Nerima ward, possibly even climbing up to the position of one of the top investors in all of Japan. The family was truly well-off. However, like many individuals affected by a certain pigtailed martial artist, the news of the wedding spread like a wildfire. Everything revolving around and with the Kunos collapsed: each member of the Kuno household began to go through major changes.

First was the former demented principal of Furinkan High School: the Hawaiian prankster was already starting to exhibit changes. Ever since Ranma had graduated, he'd frequently tell his staff and incoming students that "things weren't funny anymore, and all of your faces are boring!" It wouldn't take long for him to resign from his position and begin his impromptu retirement. The Kuno patriarch would spend most of his retirement terrorizing his work staff at home, where he'd frequently shave the hair off anyone.

Next was the Principal's oldest child, Tatewaki Kuno, who surprisingly took the marriage news rather well. The eldest Kuno started dating; only mentioning Akane and the pigtailed girl in passing, as if they were casual topics and not the loves of his life. According to some "reputable" sources the Kuno would most likely never settle down.

However, Kodachi was another story, when the news finally reached the young gymnast's ears; she simply went to her room, where she'd lock herself inside for many months. It appeared, after someone had kicked the doors down, that Kodachi had completely snapped. She was found sitting in her bed, rocking back and forth, while protectively cradling a framed picture of Ranma. For months, her father and brother attempted to console her. All their attempts did nothing for the young woman.

Shortly after Kodachi's breakdown, Kuno became engaged and, within the next few weeks, was married. As his wife was fairly wealthy herself, Kuno pooled both of their resources together, moving out of the Kuno mansion into an even bigger mansion. Surprisingly, Principal Kuno stayed a bit longer with his daughter, who refused to listen to reason. When the former principal claimed he'd enough of his daughter's mental episode ruining his retirement: he packed his bags. Before the night was through, he left his daughter in the care of their servant, Sasuke, and hopped to the first flight that would take him to Hawaii.

Now, the once remarkable mansion was barely recognizable. The grass hadn't been tended to in years, resembling a barren wasteland, rose bushes and Sakura trees were unkempt. Inside, the massive house hardly faired any better. The bulbs flickered due to poor maintenance some areas were entirely dark. Cobwebs and dust balls were scattered across dull wooden floors. However, despite the mansion's horrible condition, a certain part of the manor appeared to be properly maintained.

The faint sounds of footsteps echoed down the dimly lit corridor, as a figure shrouded in darkness strode forward. The shadowed figure dragged a finger along the sagging extensive mouldings barely hanging on the walls. They stopped, standing in front of double doors, which no doubt led to a master bedroom. The doors were cracked and frayed, yet stilled displayed the elaborate carving of images into the wood.

Taking a deep breath, the figure slammed the doors open. A loud thud resounded down the hall and throughout the floor of the mansion. Unfazed, the figure moved forward, throwing something on top of a small dining table.

"_Sasuke!_" they cried, their tone carrying a distressing growl. "Sasuke, have you seen these?"

There, crouching beside the bed blanketed in darkness, another figure visibly flinched at the figure's shriek. "Whatever do you mean, mistress?" the Kuno's faithful servant, Sasuke, left his spot to stand by the figure's side. Curiously, the ninja glanced over what was placed over the tabletop.

Newspapers were spread across the wooden surface. Each newspaper seemed to have a common theme. Every front page headlined the name Saotome. Sasuke picked up a newspaper from the pile, blinking owlishly at the bolded title. He cocked his head to the side, humming aloud, before stating. "Why, mistress, I don't remember anyone breaking in."

The figure shook their head, their hand slapping against the table. "This is horrible!" they hissed. "I've caught students everywhere whispering, _slandering_, and spreading such filthy lies. I believe we've been far too lenient, allowing this fraud to share _our_ name. However, I can't stand for this any longer! This insolent liar must be stopped!"

"What are you saying, mistress?" Sasuke asked. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Oh, Sasuke," the figure gently plucked the newspaper from Sasuke's hands. "I have a very important task for you."

Immediately, Sasuke's posture straightened. "What is it, mistress? You know I'll do anything to be of assistance."

The figure's eyes, glinted with concern, warily looked to the bed. "We'll continue this conversation later," they murmured lowly. "How is mother doing?"

Sasuke's gaze lowered to the floor. "She's," he cleared his throat. "I believe she is doing better."

"Ah, I see," they went over to the bedside, taking a seat when Sasuke fetched them a chair. "That's a relief. Let mother know nothing more of this. It breaks her heart knowing someone is out there ruining father's name."

**X**

Typically, a day at Furinkan ended in either two ways: badly or _really_ badly. Today it was the latter (most of the time it was _always_ the second choice). On their way home were two childhood friends. The tallest of the pair, as he was slightly ahead of the other, appeared to be oblivious of his companion's apparent unease. Given what had happened at school, the shorter redheaded male hadn't stopped thinking about _it_ for one second. Ryuku had his eyes locked to the ground, fixedly watching how he took each step forward.

Next to him, Ryou was talking, or at least, he could _hear_ him talking. Having his mind occupied with _one thing_ for the last few hours made it slightly difficult to focus his attention elsewhere. When Ryuku bumped into something solid, he realized now was the time to look up. He stepped back, blinking a few times, to see Ryou's scowl.

"What's gotten you so distracted?" Ryou asked. "You've been quiet all day."

"It's noth –" Ryuku pressed his lips together, cutting himself off. If he said it was, in fact, _nothing_, he had a hunch Ryou wasn't going to let it go. He risked an anxious glance at his friend, who shot him an expectant look. "I," he snapped his eyes shut. He couldn't bear looking at the lost boy any longer, not when he had _it _hanging over his head. "I did something really stupid, okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"It _was_ stupid," Ryuku confirmed, nodding curtly to emphasize his agreement with himself. "Really, really, incredibly stupid – moronic even! I can't believe I did that!" after opening his eyes, he launched back into a quick walk, leaving a befuddled Ryou behind him.

Ryou caught up after Ryuku, falling in step beside him. "Could you be a bit clearer?" he suggested. "There isn't much I can get from that."

"We don't have to talk about it do we? I mean, we're not _girls_," he grunted, somewhat annoyed. "Can't you just let me wallow in my own stupidity?"

"Could you just spit it out?"

"Alright, already, I'll talk! I _hugged _her! Okay? I hugged her and I let her slobber all over me," he stopped, grimacing as he briefly inspected the damage done to his uniform jacket. He'd have to wash it once he got home. "It was disgusting and, and I shouldn't have –"

"What are you talking about?"

Ryuku squared his shoulders, admitting defeat. "Do you remember that… girl who bothered us at lunch?"

There was a pause. The lost boy appeared to be thought, before he said. "She seemed familiar," he blinked. "But doesn't she –"

"I _know_ she has a boyfriend."

"I wasn't even going to say that," Ryou remarked, rolling his eyes. "I just thought she didn't like you very much. Granted, a lot of people don't really _like_ you but, well, never mind." he shook his head, idly waving off his statement. "Why did you hug her?"

"I don't know!" Ryuku exclaimed in frustration. "She was crying so hard and she," again, he stopped, hands curling into fists as he recalled the incident at school. Ayano was an absolute wreck, barely able to hold herself up, much less form a simple sentence. "I couldn't help but think of Misaki. When she got that upset," he pressed his lips together, forming a tight line. "The only way I could get her to calm down was if I held her. To, to let her know I was there, that everything would turn out okay."

Ryuku groaned, clutching at his hair. "Why'd I do that?" he sighed. "That was so stupid, so damn stupid. Now she's going to think things."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryou asked.

"Come on, you just said she didn't like me."

"If you want me to clarify, I'd say she was _afraid_ of you," Ryou stated matter-of-factly. "I guess you could compare liking someone to fear. That sort of makes sense. But if we think about this logically, I'd say that you're just talking out of your ass."

"That's – that's not the point," Ryuku huffed, continuing forward. "The point is that..."

Ryou pressed on. "The point is what exactly?"

"The point is – oh, _shut up_, Ryou," Ryuku gritted out. "And you wonder why I don't tell you anything."

"Hey," Ryou cut in, laughing. "That's what best friends are for!" he clapped Ryuku's shoulder, shooting his best friend a fanged grin. "You're obviously over thinking this. So what if you hugged her? You're making it seem like it's the end of the world!"

Ryuku crossed his arms across his chest, puffing his cheeks out slightly. "You never know," he grumbled. "It could be. I mean, stupid shit happens to me for a reason. When I come back to school tomorrow, I could become _Saotome the Hugger Stabber_ or something stupid like that."

"_Saotome the Hugger Stabber,_" Ryou echoed with a quirked eyebrow, before he burst into a fit of laughter. "What the hell? W-Who, in their right minds, would call you that? That sounds ridiculous!"

"You never know!" Ryuku replied, throwing his hand in the air. With a grin, he teasingly hit Ryou's good arm. "They'll come up with anything!"

It wasn't until Ryou's laughter died down that he spoke again. "If you're done with the self-pitying act," he sighed contently, using his index finger to wipe the corner of his eyes. "I'd like to go home now."

As they continued their walk, the friends continued giving each other playful shoves and telling lame jokes only they'd understand. The weight of restlessness pressing down on Ryuku's shoulders all day became a _little _bit lighter.

**X**

Waiting for Ryuku to arrive home was an unexpected welcoming party. The party's sole member, Gashu, stood at the entrance of the entryway, wearing the most obnoxious grin ever. If he looked like a total moron whenever he bothered to show a smile, he'd swear off smiling forever. Ryuku went through the motions every time he came home – quickly removing his shoes – before he entered the house.

The silence, as peaceful as it was, was abruptly broken by an overly gleeful chirp. "Guess what I heard today!"

Without a hint of hesitation, Ryuku zoomed past the double, refusing to talk or even look in his general direction. But Gashu, as always, gained the upper hand. He caught up to Ryuku, remaining determined to initiate another useless conversation with him.

"Well, aren't you going to guess?" Gashu poked and prodded Ryuku's back and sides, even boldly choosing to tickle him.

After several irritating moments, Ryuku reluctantly bit out. "I don't care. Can you leave me alone now?"

"No way," Gashu protested, almost sounding offended. "This is, like, juicy stuff – no, legit hardcore news!"

"Tell it to someone who actually cares about that crap."

"It's about you, though!"

With a clenched jaw, Ryuku kept silent.

"Here I was, minding my own business when all of a sudden my phone starts to ring!" the double looked to Ryuku, who turned away from him. "Now, I know what you're thinking: 'who would be calling you, Gashu? I wish I had friends who'd call me!'," as if Gashu's imitation of Ryuku wasn't ridiculous enough, the double even went out of his way to sashay in front of him. "I check who it is and, lo and behold, it's my favorite gal Ayano!"

At the mention of the girl's name, Ryuku stiffened; his footsteps wavered, before he quickly resumed his previous pace.

The grin Gashu wore was slightly alarming. He looked like a madman. "She sounded pretty upset," he said. "Of course, I couldn't answer right away. Couldn't let her think she was talking to you."

Ryuku sped up, ignoring the rest of Gashu's story, until his double shouted: "Why did you hug her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Ryuku's reply was met with a sharp bark of laughter. "Uh, _bullshit_," Gashu scoffed. "How 'bout you save us both some time and tell me all the details."

"Why would I tell you anything?"

"I'm the perfect outlet for you!" Gashu countered. "Besides, who am I going to blab it to? Let's face it; I don't have many choices here."

"Just drop it," Ryuku demanded. "There's nothing to talk about anyway."

"It's not like you did anything bad," the double insisted. "I'm surprised you did that but like in a good way."

Letting out a sigh, Ryuku fell back against the wall behind him. "It's not a big deal, okay?" he grumbled. "It was a stupid hug. I don't even why I – _she_ let me do it. She should've pushed me away or something."

With a frown, Gashu stood in front of Ryuku. "What's so stupid about comforting someone?" he asked. "She was upset so you tried to make her feel better. That's what anyone else would've done."

"Did I make her feel better? Or did I just freak her out?"

Gashu rolled his eyes. "If you freaked her out, she would've run for the hills," he pointed out matter-of-factly. "Why do you call her Ayano, anyway? I didn't know you guys were comfortable enough to be on a first name basis. She calls _you_ Saotome. The poor girl probably gets all flustered hearing you call her –"

"It's not like I go around calling every girl I – she was the first one who –" Ryuku stopped, gritting his teeth together. He turned away from the double. "If it's such a big deal I'll make sure to call her Makanai next time."

The color from Gashu's face drained. "Ma-Makanai?"

Ryuku hadn't expected that sort of reaction from him. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, it's just, uh," Gashu smothered a painfully feigned cough into his palm. "You know, maybe _I_ should leave you alone. Just for a bit. The world doesn't revolve only around you! I've got some things to do."

Ryuku watched as his double left for his bedroom, leaving the redhead bewildered. The double was acting very strange. At least he'd managed to get Gashu to leave him alone. Still, receiving that kind of response from the double was alarming.

_Whatever, it's none of my business_.

**X**

Another day at Furinkan brought the usual dull morning activities. Homeroom class with Hair Gel could _not_ have dragged on any slower. Sometimes, Ryuku wasn't sure if the strange teacher every changed topics of his lecture. Everything he taught seemed to immediately lose Ryuku's interest. The result of Ryuku's lack of focus was always brought out during frequent pop quizzes – after his umpteenth barely passing grade, the redhead had no idea how he was faring in the class. Ryuku didn't dare approach Hair Gel once class was out.

If he was alone in the same room with the questionable man, Ryuku wouldn't know what to do. There was just something about Hair Gel that rubbed him off the wrong way. It also didn't help that Ryuku swore he could feel golden eyes following and judging his every move. Homeroom never used to be such a stressful time for the first year.

Through Ryuku's internal suffering, eventually Hair Gel's lectures were brought to a close by the lunch bell. After slipping his notes inside his schoolbag, Ryuku jumped to his feet, heading over to Ryou's desk. His best friend was still in the middle of taking notes, his mechanical pencil hurriedly scribbling in his notebook.

Ryuku tapped the lost boy's desktop with his knuckle, bringing Ryou's gaze away from the lined paper. "You ready to go, Hibiki?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec," Ryou shut his notebook, before retrieving his schoolbag from under his seat. He sorted through his bag, neatly placing things inside, and then taking out his wallet. "I didn't have time to make lunch today."

"That's fine. We'll swing by the vending machines."

"That was the plan," was Ryou's dry remark.

The two boys exited the classroom, talking about whatever was on their minds. Naturally, the first topic Ryou brought up regarded today's lecture. Already disinterred, Ryuku waved him off, lightly patted his friend's chest, before he walked off ahead. The lost boy easily caught up, shoving Ryuku's shoulder. Needless to say, the subject was abruptly changed to something else. At the end of the hallway, set in a small area near the staircase was where the vending machines were located. Three machines, two stocked full with food and one with hot or cold drinks, gave off a dull glow under the hallway's bright lights.

Currently, there was no one else hovering by the machines. Since Ryou had the habit of taking forever to pick something, this meant he could take as long as he needed. But Ryuku's patience only lasted for so long. As he waited for his friend, Ryuku took an empty spot next to the vending machines, pressing his back onto the wall.

"Come on, Ryou," Ryuku grunted after a few minutes had passed. "I don't have all day."

Ryou didn't bother to look away from the vending machine he was intently eyeballing. Who knew picking something for lunch was such a serious thing. "It's not like you actually have anything to do."

"I could."

"Yeah, but you don't," Ryou replied coolly. "So, shut up."

Ryuku rolled his eyes but ended the conversation there. He stared down the hallway, silently watching other students finding something to do for lunch. Everyone seemed happy, talking amongst themselves, joking and laughing. Since it was unavoidable, there were a few students who noticed Ryuku and Ryou. They avoided eye contact, hurrying to pass by them to use the staircase or walk down the hallway.

There was a girl walking by herself, keeping her head down. She held something in her hands. It was small, almost the shape of a lunchbox, and wrapped neatly with a pink handkerchief. _A pink handkerchief… something about that looks familiar. _Ryuku didn't bother to ponder over the thought for too long. Really, he shouldn't be staring at someone, a girl at that, so openly. Rumors could spread from doing something so foolish.

The girl lifted her head up, before Ryuku could react. Their eyes met from across the hall. A pink handkerchief, the lunchbox, and those light brown eyes – he'd been staring at Ayano. Quickly, Ryuku's gaze flickered over to his best friend. "H-Hey, Hibiki, are you almost done?" he checked behind his shoulder, immediately on edge to see Ayano heading towards them. "_Ryou, _are you done?"

Ryou turned from the machine to give Ryuku a dejected scowl. "It ate my money."

Ryuku grasped onto Ryou's uniform jacket, forcing him to move several steps backwards. "Who cares?" he growled. "Let's go! You can grab something from the cafeteria."

"No way," Ryou protested, brushing Ryuku's hands off of him. "I don't want to go to the cafeteria today. They're serving pork." he shuddered.

"Well, tough shit! The cafeteria won't eat your stupid money!" Ryuku seized Ryou by the back of his uniform, roughly pulling him from the vending machines.

A timid voice behind the two prevented their conversation from escalating into an argument. "Excuse me?"

Ryuku tightened his hold on the lost boy. _Shit, we took too damn long. _With a clenched jaw, Ryuku gave Ryou a harsh shove. "Whatever."

"Oh, sorry about that," Ryou hurriedly apologizes to Ayano, while he shot Ryuku a glare. "We'll get out of your way."

"T-That's okay!" Ayano insisted, lowering her head. "I can wait."

Ryuku resettled into his spot on the wall. He refused to look in Ryou's direction, as his best friend returned to fiddling with the machine. The floor was the least likely location that could get him into any trouble. Besides, if he even dared to do anything it'd only give the girl more ideas. Ryuku kept this up, glaring at the dull tiled patterns, while he counted off the minutes Ryou was wasting. What brought Ryuku's attention back to his friend was an insistent sharp banging noise. If Ryou kept that up, he was going to punch a hole into the stupid thing. The lost boy gripped the sides of the vending machines, glaring at the packaged items inside.

"Damn it," Ryou's hold tightened on the metal. Ryuku could see his fingers sinking into the material as if it was gelatin. "It's not giving me anything."

"Does the cafeteria sound like a better choice now?" Ryuku suggested lightly, avoiding eye contact with Ayano, who remained silent as she waited for the boys to finish.

"If I wanted to go to the cafeteria, I would've gone there in the first place!" his friend retorted, targeting his heated glare at Ryuku.

He returned to sharply jabbing at a button, until _The Breaking Point_ shattered the plastic key. A small crack formed from the damage, slowly stretching upwards. The lost boy hadn't seemed to notice, too blinded by his rapidly growing frustration (a trait he shared with his father) and punched the machine, which caused it to sink into the wall behind it. The punch caused the cracks to rupture through the metal, popping the top of the machine off like a soda can. An assortment of food items shot out of the machine, like a peculiar rain of junk food. The three teens speechlessly gawked at the machine in shock. Ryou clutched at Ryuku's shoulders, speaking so fast he could barely understand him.

Ryuku mirrored Ryou's posture, gripping at Ryou's shoulders and shaking him. "Calm down! Freaking out isn't going to solve anything, dummy!" he hissed. The redhead's eyes narrowed to the damaged machine, while he quietly suggested. "Why don't you just take what the machine owed you?"

"I can't do that," Ryou disagreed vehemently. "That's stealing!"

Ryuku rolled his eyes. They had to get moving. There were still students in the hallway, and if Ryou's little commotion hadn't already drawn attention towards them – more was going to head their way if they didn't leave soon.

"We can't just leave, Ryuku," Ryou stammered. "I _vandalized_ school property." The way he emphasized the word sounded like it was a crime.

During their escapade, Ryuku had forgotten Ayano had seen _everything_. He glanced behind him, seeing that Ayano hadn't budged from her spot. The expression she wore was something Ryuku couldn't quite place. She'd talk. She'd spread everything around just like everyone else. Before the end of the day, another shitty newspaper article would be published in Furinkan's equally shitty newspaper. Ryuku grabbed Ryou's arm and fled the scene of the crime without looking back once. The boys made it to their usual spot within minutes by sprinting.

Ryuku fell onto the grass, panting. "Good going, Hibiki!" he complained. "Jeez, what was that about?"

Ryou settled against the tree trunk, still looking rather jarred. "I-I," he groaned, hiding his face with his hands. "I can't believe I did that."

It was so uncharacteristic for the normally goody-goody elder Hibiki son to act so _brash_. Ryuku could easily imagine the brat doing something so reckless. But for Ryou to do something like that was unimaginable. This was the guy who'd been scolding Ryuku for months to get a respectable haircut back in middle school (it didn't work, but Ryou wouldn't stop nagging about it). This was the guy who refused to lay a finger on someone who'd dumped milk over his head. He could've easily taken him down with just one punch but Ryou wouldn't do it. Ryuku almost laughed at how odd the whole thing was.

"Excuse me?"

Ryuku lifted his head up at the new voice. He tried to catch Ryou's attention, but his friend hadn't quite recovered yet. Ayano was standing a few feet away from them, lunchbox still in her hands. However, accompanying her lunch was a can of juice and some junk food – the same junk food which had been in the vending machine. Ryuku didn't say a word, unsure of what to say or do.

Ryou, on the other hand, had managed to improve. He closed the distance between him and Ayano, bowing down in front of her. "I'm so, _so_ sorry you had to see that," he apologized profusely. "I don't know what came over me and I swear, I don't –"

"It's alright, Hibiki," Ayano swooped in gently. "Everyone was taking everything out of the vending machine. They all ran off when the teachers came. I came to bring the food you wanted." she handed Ryou the items, keeping the can for herself.

The lost boy, ever the charmer, dropped everything when Ayano's arm brushed against his. A flustered chuckle left his lips, as he rubbed his neck. "Nothing happened, then?"

"Nothing," Ayano answered, crouching down to hand Ryou the snacks.

Ryuku curled into a seated position, getting a better look at his friend and Ayano as they conversed. He put his elbow on his kneecap, leaning slightly to cup his cheek in his palm. "The lunchbox," he pointed out with a tilt of his head. "That's for your boyfriend, right?"

Ayano glanced at the lunchbox, before she confirmed Ryuku's question with a jerky nod.

"You better get going then," Ryuku told her. "He's probably wondering where you are."

Again, Ayano nodded. "I needed to get some juice for his lunch," she explained quietly. "I should get going."

"Thanks for," Ryou tried to gesture to the food in his arms. "Uh, bringing this for us."

Ryuku watched as the fellow first year started to leave. "Makanai," and now that he had her attention, it would've been the perfect time to mention it. The hug should've never happened. It was a mistake. _Don't think it meant anything_. "Thanks."

A slow smile spread over Ayano's lips. "You're welcome, Saotome."

**X**

In the main room of the Saotome house, there was no sound, despite the television being on. The audio was muted. Instead of the usual game show, the screen displayed an action movie of some sort. As no one made a move to change the channel, it appeared that it didn't matter what was being shown. The only current occupant in the house was sprawled out on the floor.

A cushiony pillow was under the double's head. His legs were slightly bent and crossed together. Light clicking noises came from Gashu's phone, as he carelessly pressed buttons. A thoughtful look marred his features. He skimmed through the texts exchanged between him and Ayano. They were casual messages, asking what the other was doing, how they're day was – simple trivial things to start up a light-hearted conversation.

Ever since his talk with Ryuku regarding the horrible "hugging incident", the double's thoughts were becoming centered on one person: Ayano. _Ayano Makanai._

Makanai.

_**M-A-K-A-N-A-I.**_

The framed photograph at Ayano's house, of the girl's deceased mother – her full name had been inscribed on the back of the frame. The characters were written so neatly and with steady hands, carefully to avoid any imperfections. He hadn't even batted at eye at that. He hadn't thought to question the unsettling feeling that gathered and _stayed_ in his stomach. Like everything else, he _ignored_ it.

"Ah-yah-no," he enunciated the name leisurely, repeated it several times in the same manner. Gashu snapped his phone shut, staring at it carelessly. He dropped it on his chest, letting his eyelids fall shut.

"_Saotome?_" a recognizable voice echoed in his head. They spoke so softly, so shyly. An image of a girl appeared. They were at Furinkan, standing in the middle of the hallway. There was no one else in sight – it was just the two of them. She didn't look at him. In fact, she _never_ dared to look at him. She kept her head bowed and concealed her tentative smile. She had something in her hands. It was for him. Girls were always showering him with gifts. "_This is for you._"

Suddenly, Gashu jolted upright so swiftly his head spun. With terribly wide eyes and a pounding heart, the double let out a curse. "Fuck!" he sprung to his feet, making a hasty beeline to the staircase. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he hissed under his breath, padding nosily down the corridor.

The double slammed, nearly kicked, his bedroom door open. His closet was open. The backpack he brought for his camping trip took up most of the space. Gashu hurriedly dragged it out, unzipping and undoing straps with wavering hands.

"Where is it? Where the heck is it?"

Becoming heavily frustrated, Gashu poured everything onto the floor. He pushed and threw things away from the pile. The double searched frantically, hoping for it to turn up. His fears were confirmed when he was empty handed. Gashu slammed his fist onto the floor, shouting obscenities. "I didn't leave it at home," he tried to reason, anxiously glancing at the mess he'd made in his room. "I know I didn't."

There was a rustle, which drew Gashu's focus away. He reached for his phone, only to grasp air in his pocket. He'd left it downstairs in his haste to reach his bedroom. Heaving a sigh, Gashu checked the digital clock on the floor. School wasn't over yet. Ryuku wouldn't ditch, since he wasn't anything like his double (as far as he knew). It couldn't be Ryuku's mother. She mentioned she had several days of missed work to cover for.

"It's probably the stupid cat," Gashu concluded with a snort.

He shook his head, dismissing the noise. Among the pile of stuff, he spotted a manga lying on the floor. Gashu hadn't remembered bringing it with him on his trip. Ryota must've crammed it into his bag when he wasn't looking. It was a generic series targeting a demographic of young males. Gashu couldn't really get into it, but Ryota was crazy about it. The double teased his best friend, stating he only read it for the busty female companion of the protagonist. Ryota denied it, each time with a red face, and insisted he give it another chance. Gashu tossed the manga on his futon, forgetting the reason why he was there to begin with.

He'd read it later.

**X**

Somehow Hair Gel had managed to sub into one of Ryuku's favorite classes, which made the redhead loathe the subject from how boring he made it seem. The redhead quickly found himself dozing off. It probably wasn't the best idea. Unfortunately, the boy was caught with his pants down. There was a slight chance; the first year could've escaped the menial punishment, if he hadn't snapped at the silver haired teacher. High school instructors, or any authoritative figure for that matter, never did appreciate back talk. Ryuku blamed his stupidity on the method he was woken up. Smacking a textbook on his desktop would've made anyone agitated. On his way out of the classroom, Ryuku hadn't missed the disapproving frown Ryou gave.

_Well, this is great. _Ryuku huffed, blowing his hair out of his eyes. He glared at the empty buckets he held, resisting the urge to chuck them out the nearest window. Stomping down the hallway, Ryuku searched for something to fill the buckets. He supposed fetching the water himself was part of the punishment. Stuck in a bad mood, Ryuku didn't care about how he presented himself to the student population. The only thing on his mind was getting the stupid thing over with – whatever made Mr. Hair Gel happy.

Ryuku strode into the boys bathroom, tossing the buckets into different sinks. He twisted the cold water knob as far as he could twist them. At full force, water gushed into the buckets. Once the pails were overflowing, Ryuku took his time to shut off the water. He grabbed the flimsy handles, carrying the pails out of the sinks. Water treaded dangerously close over the rim, before sloshing onto the tiles.

The redhead exited the bathroom, leaving of water trail behind him as he headed back to his classroom. Further down the hall, Ryuku heard a pair of voices: a boy and a girl.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," the girl spoke, her tone anxious and slightly hushed.

Ryuku's head whipped upward. As much as he'd hate to admit it, the girl's voice was very recognizable. The high school's campus was only so large. It wasn't unusual to see the same face every now and then. Of course, out of _anyone_ to run into, it would be Ayano. Today must've been his lucky day, as he had the chance to catch the girl with her boyfriend. Neither of them had noticed they weren't quite alone. Ayano's main focus was on the stack of papers she held. Next to the girl, Togo was also holding a stack himself. Their teacher must've asked the couple to deliver the papers somewhere.

"Relax, babe," Togo said lightly. "I'm not saying _we_ should do it. My friends skip school sometimes. It's not like I do it, but sometimes school can be a drag. A break sounds nice."

"There are plenty of chances to take a break," Ayano responded. "There's a time and place for everything. Besides, wouldn't it make more sense to wait until after school? Or the weekend?"

So far, Ayano hadn't noticed Ryuku yet. The pair continued talking to each other. Ayano didn't seem too thrilled with their subject, given the frown tugging on her lips. When Ayano finally faced forward, Ryuku reacted without thinking, hiding behind a wall. Their voices weren't too far away.

Ryuku blinked. "What the heck am I doing?" he grunted, annoyed by his ridiculous actions. "Who am I hiding from?" as he moved, Ryuku could see Ayano nearing him, and immediately went back to hiding. He watched them walk down the hallway.

"This is stupid." he huffed, despite waiting until they were gone before he returned to his classroom.

**X**

The Kuno mansion was surely a grand house people could only find in dreams. Everything surrounding the large manor emphasized how wealthy the strange family was. It was bizarre, almost heartbreaking in a way, how quickly the mansion deteriorated to its current state – a horrible husk of what it once was. An inhospitable environment for anyone to live in, yet Kodachi adamantly refused to leave her home. The staff began to leave, one by one, unable to do their daily tasks with such hazardous living conditions. The last thing the Kunos were was poor. Plenty of resources continued to steadily rush forward for the separated family. It was the matter of keeping up appearances that the mansion started to crumple.

For years, Sasuke stayed by the heartbroken woman's side, hoping his assistance would somehow console Kodachi's pain. It was a foolish thought but it was one Sasuke refused to let go. Ranma Saotome, the heartless fiend, ruined everything for the Kuno family. The ninja leapt onto the windowsill of the master bedroom. Anxiously, he peered inside, doing his daily check-up on Kodachi. She was still bedridden, softly murmuring to herself.

It was such a heartbreaking sight. The gymnast's life held such a promising future. Bowing his head, Sasuke left the window, instead leaving for the yard. The gardeners used to create such beautiful magic for the Kuno's courtyard. The greenhouse, which Sasuke used to frequently visit, was once filled with various astonishing plants of every color. Delicate crafted statues, now adorned with cracks and mold, stood in their spots.

A mournful pang settled in the ninja's heart, seeing the mansion like this. But no matter, there would be a day when the mansion's former glory would be restored. The ninja had a much more important task at hand. Unfortunately, he hadn't collected enough sufficient data for the mistress. She wouldn't be pleased, but it was time for his posting. The mistress was at the pond, she appeared so lively amongst the lifeless surroundings around them.

Becoming apprehensive, Sasuke warily approached the mistress from behind. At the moment, she hadn't noticed his presence just yet. A lovely slow song left the mistress's curled lips – a tune Kodachi would often practice, while going through a rigorous gymnastic routine – as she tossed fresh fish from a bucket into the dark discolored water.

"M-Mistress?" she paused during mid-throw. "Did I catch you at a bad time? I can return later."

The mistress faced the ninja, shooting Sasuke an expectant glance. "What is it, Sasuke?"

"I have been following Saotome —"

"Do _not_ call him that!" she snarled crossly. "That imposter will pay for causing damage. He will not get away any of this! I will not let him!"

"Forgive me, Mistress," Sasuke kneeled down onto one knee. "I have been following the, ahem, target all day."

She crossed her arms, raising a plucked eyebrow at the servant. "And what did you find?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. "Mistress, I'm so very sorry. I found nothing useful," he reluctantly confessed. "It seems like he doesn't leave the house at all."

"What? That can't be true," she said. "He attends Furinkan High School, does he not?"

"Well, yes, but –"

"Silence," the mistress interjected without a hint of malice in her tone. "Where is he now?"

"He has been lounging in front of the TV all day, Mistress," Sasuke answered swiftly. "It appears he enjoys watching game shows," as every bit of information was critical, he added as an afterthought. "And also watches dramas and action movies."

"Return to your post, Sasuke," she demanded. "You haven't given me enough _useful_ information."

"Of course, Mistress," the ninja rose to his feet, remaining bowed while he backed away. "I'll return at once."

**X**

After flipping through every channel for the fourth time, Gashu came to the conclusion there was absolutely _nothing_ to watch. A guy could only distract himself so much with cheesy soap operas and overly action packed thrillers. He needed a change of scenery anyway, after spending roughly half the day watching anything that looked remotely fascinating. The double shut off the TV, placing the remote on the table as he stood up. Practicing in the dojo for a few hours was an excellent way to clear his mind. However, it was one of Gashu's rare moods when it didn't feel like getting physically active. The alternative would be to take a nap.

Gashu rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder, easing the kinks. He couldn't shake how tense he was. _I could really use a nap right now._ The double pocketed his phone. He cupped his chin, surveying how he'd treated the main room. The least he could do for the messy house was make it a little cleaner. Soon enough, the double was in his room and lying on his futon. He set the alarm on his phone, disliking the sheer ringing from Ryuku's alarm clock, before he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to claim him.

"I hope you like it," there's a nervous giggle. "I worked really hard on making them for you, Saotome."

How thoughtful. A box of chocolates for Valentine's Day; what was there not to like about the love themed holiday? It's the day where Gashu Saotome's many admirers set time aside in their day to prepare handmade chocolates for him. Before the end of the school day, Gashu would end up sharing his mountain of spoils with his best friend, who was lucky enough to get one or two sweets. With so many girls flocking around him, like eager pretty doves – as Gashu prefers to call them compared to Ryota's hungry pigeons comparison – he couldn't be helped to remember every single girls' name. But the pigtailed martial artist makes an effort for his frequent admirers.

"Ah, thanks!" Gashu beams at the girl, flashing a charming grin. A blush lights up her cheeks, while she giggles cutely behind her hand. What a cutie. He'd have to make sure to remember her. "But, please, call me Gashu! Thanks again! I'll be sure to enjoy every bite!" he leaves with a departing wink.

He whistles a satisfied tune, as he leisurely strolls down Furinkan's halls. Today, he reaped in enough chocolates that'd last him for weeks! Ryota was going to eat his words. On cue, Gashu's phone vibrates in his jacket pocket. The caller ID listed 'Porker'. Laughing, Gashu answers the call. "Yo, Pig!" he greets cheerfully. "You so owe me! Saying I lost my touch! My admirers this year must've doubled or tripled! I've got so many chocolates!" he could image how pissed off Ryota was. His face was probably as red as a cherry. "I know the perfect way you can repay me! You can carry everything for me! There's gotta be like three bags full."

Gashu snorts at Ryota's lame retorts. "Whatever, Pork Chop! I'll meet you back in class! You better not get lost." With that, he hangs up his phone.

Upon entering his classroom – the supposedly empty classroom – Gashu's surprised to find someone already there. It isn't Ryota. The lost boy wouldn't look very good in a skirt, although he would look hilarious. The girl was seated at a desk, in the front row, with her head down. To anyone who'd pass by, it would look like she was sleeping. However, the frequent sniffling and whimpering told something else entirely. A crying girl was the worst possible sight to behold. Gashu was horrible at comforting them. The majority of the time he was the cause of their tears. Any other person, in Gashu's opinion, would've turned the other cheek and hightail it out of there. But any decent person would make sure they were okay.

"Uh," Gashu clears his throat. "Hey?" he stands in front of the desk. "You okay?"

"… I'm sorry."

Gashu blinks. "For what?"

"I-I'm making a fuss," her words are slightly muffled as she spoke. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for anything," Gashu assures her, chuckling. "I see a girl crying; I can't help but wonder what the problem is." _A smooth lie for a smooth guy_, he thinks boastfully.

Slowly, the girl lifts her head – mussed long tresses of brown hair spills over her shoulders like a thick curtain. Tears gather in her dark brown eyes. Damp cheeks hold a dark flush. She avoids eye contact, as she dabs at her tear stained face with a pink handkerchief. Honestly, there isn't much to look at. Her chest is decent. She's skinny but not very curvy. Her legs are thin. Overall, she's pretty average and nowhere near Gashu's ideal type. His girl side could easily overshadow her. But a girl was still a girl, no matter how average.

"Say," Gashu starts. "You aren't in my class, are you?"

The girl sniffles. "N-No," she whispers. "I couldn't go – he was – and I –" her shoulders slumps and she stares at the desktop, clutching tightly at her handkerchief.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," he tells her tenderly. "There's nothing wrong with being here. It's just I don't recognize you and I know every one of my classmates." Her fingers desperately grips at the damp pink tissue. "All I'm saying is," he places his hands on the desk, bends down in front of her face. "How could I ever forget a pretty face like yours?"

Like he predicts, her previous flush is over taken by a different one. But his harmless comment brings the opposite desired effect, as the girl turns away from him. If anything, he expects a giggle or a little smile. "Valentine's Day is supposed to be a happy day," Gashu states. "Why are you spending it here by yourself?"

"I made these," she murmurs, placing a box onto the desk.

He isn't sure what to do next, so he simply watches as the girl unties the ribbon and removes the lid. The chocolates had to be store bought. There was no way an ordinary school girl could make anything like that. Every piece of chocolate was shaped in a flawless heart. A topping of white, milk, and dark decorated each bite-sized piece. These were the types of sweets served in expensive dessert café where unaware rich guys took a female Gashu whenever he felt like eating somewhere high class.

"No way," Gashu rasps. "You made that yourself?"

He's given a brisk nod.

"These look amazing!"

"W-Well, I didn't do everything," the girl admits shyly. "I had some help."

"Can I try one?" he asks, hungrily eyeing a piece. _Wait a sec, idiot, these aren't for you_. "Ignore what I said. These are supposed to be for your guy, right?"

A strained sob came from her, as fresh tears forms. "N-No," she cries. "Not anymore."

"Well, if he doesn't want 'em," Gashu says. "I'll take 'em. I'll enjoy every bite!" The girl sniffles, as two teardrops rolls down her cheeks. He catches her looking at the box he held. His lips droop to a frown. "You don't believe me?" he pops a chocolate into his mouth. His taste buds are in absolute heaven as a burst of delicious, rich flavors in every bite. Gashu lets out a dreamy sigh, before he eats another piece and another. Once he's down to the last piece, he almost doesn't want to eat it. The girl had stared at him the entire time, wordlessly watching as he ate her gift meant for another. With a grin, he finishes off the chocolates.

"Man, those were awesome," he announces gleefully. "And, like I said, I enjoyed every bite."

A hint of a smile tugs at her lips. He's finally getting some progress. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you," Gashu laughs. "I have a feeling none of these," he shakes the unopened box in his hand. "Man, none of them are even going to compare to yours. I regret eating them all so fast. That stuff should be savored."

Her laugh is so quiet, he almost misses it. "You're exaggerating."

"I am not!" he replies childishly, earning himself another laugh, this time louder and longer. "I'm –"

"I know who you are," she interrupts him, slowly rising from her seat. "I-I need to get going."

"Wait!" he catches her wrist, gently pulling her back. "Are you going back to your classroom?" after receiving a meek nod, Gashu continues. "Do you want me to come with you? If you want, I could teach that a guy lesson. Making a cute girl like you cry on Valentine's day. Talk about a creep."

"That won't be necessary," she said calmly. "I can handle myself."

Frowning, Gashu loosens his grip, waiting for her to slip away. "Fine, if you say so."

"Thank you," she repeats once again, bowing. "Thank you so much, Saotome."

"Since you already know me, why don't you tell me your name?"

Her smile brightens her entire face. At that moment, she looks anything but average. "Ayuki Makanai."

He was running, no, sprinting – going as fast as he possibly could. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop was the quickest way to travel. No crosswalks, no cars, no traffic – nothing could really be a hindrance. There wasn't much to think about, just leap onto the next roof and repeat the simple pattern. His destination was a bit of a puzzle, but his body seemed to know where to take him. Ever since he'd dashed out of the house, his brain felt disconnected from himself – his legs moved automatically, knowing which houses would lead him the correct path. His shoes smacked onto roof tiles, a loud dull thump every time he landed the only sound his ears picked up. The high school – he could've sworn he was just there – was in sight.

After one last jump, Gashu gracefully landed in front the gates for the high school. For a moment, the double remained in place, impassively gazing at the memorable school building. A prompt wave of panic settled over him, as he checked for any signs of another person. He couldn't risk being seen. As it was habit, Gashu reached up to uneasily tug at his pigtail. His fingertips brushed over the material of his beanie. So far, it looked like the coast was clear. Gashu dug inside his pants pockets for his cell phone to double-check for the time. An annoyed curse left his lips, finding nearly all of his pockets empty save for wrinkled candy wrappers and crusty hair bands. He'd left the house so fast, he forgotten to grab his phone. The double guessed school had gotten out about an hour ago – club activities were the only reason for sticking around afterschool.

"Shit," Gashu huffed, pressing his palm over his forehead. "What am I doing here? I should go."

Yet despite his words, the double ventured onto the school grounds. His steps faltered every now and then, as he paused to overlook the campus. It'd been quite awhile since he last set foot at Furinkan, since Ryuku finally decided to go back to school. So far, his first year at Furinkan was filled with laughter and wonderful memories with old and new friends. The complete opposite experience from Ryuku. Of course, with every happy memory came a negative one: turning down a hopeful admirer, breaking up with girlfriends every other week, and –

Gashu shook the thought away and quickened his strides. The double almost hoped he wouldn't be able to find her. But he _needed_ to see her, see that she was okay, see that it was just a harmless dream. Remnants of his dream still lingered in his mind like a painful reminder. He could see her. Long dark chocolate hair flowed gently along with the wind, as she walked forward. She had a pink ribbon tying her hair back. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, sharply penetrating his hearing with heartbeats. Seeing her alone gripped at his chest, nearly suffocating him. _No, you're not alone. Damn it._ Without a second thought, he raced towards her at an incredible speed.

He shouted after her. "Ayu," he gritted his teeth. "A-Aya… _Makanai!_"

Her posture became stiffer, if it was even possible, given how well she presented herself. She looked left and right, searching for whoever had called for her, before she turned to look behind her. He expected the shocked stare she gave him. After all, her relationship was Ryuku was a bit strained (although the word was an understatement). At times, the double loathed his brashness, which earned him so many things back home: friends, admirers, gifts and _pain_. He was in front of her in seconds, shamelessly gawking at her. All those times he'd felt uneasy around her. He'd felt the need to apologize. He'd felt the need to _console_ and _comfort _her. He did anything to get a smile. He remembered, but nothing could push aside the guilt that'd continue to eat at him and the pain he could no longer keep ignoring.

"Saotome," Ayano greeted lightly. "You… already changed out of uniform?"

Gashu jammed his hands in his pockets, in an effort to hide how much he was shaking. "Y-Yo," he returned her greeting, bowing slightly, before immediately standing straight. "I mean, how are… you?" he asked, completely disregarding her inquiry.

A discomfited silence passed between the two. Ever wordless second was killing Gashu.

"Actually, I'm glad you called for me," Ayano murmured softly with a soft smile on her lips.

Gashu couldn't stop staring at her lips. The smile was the same; she used the same sweet gentle tone. "You," he coughed. "You are?"

"I wanted to," Ayano shuffled her feet, lowering her gaze to the grass. "Thank you for the other day. It really meant a lot to me."

The double faced the opposite direction from her, furiously scrubbing at his eyes. "It was no problem! No problem at all!"

"I'm sure it was an inconvenience for you –"

"No, it wasn't!" he exclaimed, whirling back forward. He winced, noting how Ayano jumped and gripped tighter at her textbooks. "I-It wasn't. Anyone would've done the same. I'm sorry that it had to be me, but," Gashu tugged at his beanie, making do with the bunchy material rather than his braid. "It was nothing."

"Thank you, Saotome."

"M-Makanai?"

"Yes?"

"I just, well, I just wanted to –"

"_Ryuku!_" a familiar female voice called out causing Gashu to jerk at the sound. "Oh, Ryuku! Over here!"

The double didn't want to turn around. He _refused_ to look. That feminine voice was something he'd grown up with for fifteen years. He already knew who it was. Instead, Gashu studied Ayano's face, watching the girl's mood change completely. He'd rarely seen her look so happy. She was too shy, too quiet, and too gentle – she was nothing like the other girls. But, most of all, he was too stupid. The double stumbled forward when he received a sharp shove from behind. With a soft sigh, Gashu ducked his head and met an annoyed pair of dark blue eyes. He rolled his eyes, plopping his hand down on her head to ruffle short black hair.

Ayano warmly greeted, waving enthusiastically. "Ryoko!"

"Hey, sis," Gashu mumbled, looking away from Ryuku's heated glare.

"Funny seeing you two together," Ryuku linked her arm with Gashu's, yanking the double down to flash him a terribly feigned smile. "What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing important," Gashu quipped. "Actually, I was just about to leave!"

"Don't you mean _we_ were about to leave?" Ryuku gritted out through an eerie grin. "You big silly." Ryuku's bubbly giggle sent chills down the double's spine.

"Don't let me keep you two waiting. It was nice seeing you, Ryoko," Ayano looked to Gashu, offering him a genuine smile. "See you tomorrow, Saotome."

"Bye, Makanai!" the double shouted after her retreating figure. A disgruntled huff was all Gashu was given, before he was getting dragged off of Furinkan's campus. The double allowed himself to be pulled by his jacket sleeve. His eyes trailed after Ayano, until he could no longer see her.

Once they were walking down Nerima's streets, Ryuku released her iron hold on Gashu. "Are you crazy?" she snapped. "What were you thinking showing up here and talking to –"

"I wasn't thinking! Okay?" Gashu's shoulders sagged, as he kicked at a pebble on the ground. "I wasn't thinking. But I'm not sorry for what I did. I'm too busy feeling like shit to feel much of anything else. So, let's not bother with guilt tripping the moron."

Ryuku's eyebrows furrowed, while she regarded the double. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's nothing," he grunted. "All I'm saying is that Ayano's my friend. Nothing's going to change that. No matter what you or anybody says! If someone upsets her or makes her cry, they're going to wish they hadn't!" he pumped his arm into the air, rolling his sleeves up to properly flex his muscles. A newfound burst of confidence flared throughout his body, as he formed an offensive stance. He performed a quick flurry of movements, a chain of punches and swift kicks at an invisible opponent. The disturbed and bewildered expression on Ryuku's face caused the double's position to falter and then collapse, as he was consumed with giggles.

"What the hell," Ryuku shook her head, scowling. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying!" Gashu grinned. "I'm gonna protect her! Be her personal bodyguard! With me around she'll have absolutely nothing to worry about!"

Ryuku brushed past the double. "There's obviously something you're not telling me here."

Gashu patted Ryuku's head, enjoying the way she shrank and shot him a glare. "Don't worry about it," he told her. "This doesn't concern you."

"I'm pretty sure –"

"It doesn't Ryuku and I mean it."

A doubtful look washed over Ryuku's features. The double mentally prepared himself for a verbal lashing from the boy-turned-girl. "Fine," Ryuku said. "I won't force it out of you."

Gashu blinked owlishly. "I didn't think you'd give up so easily."

Ryuku merely hiked her schoolbag higher on her shoulder. "We all have things to worry about."

"Yeah, you're right," Gashu sighed, crossing his arms behind his head. He spotted another pebble on the concrete and sent it flying. "Well, since you deserve to know. I'll tell you what Aya and I were talking about."

"I already know."

Gashu's pace slowed slightly, as he peered down at his twin. "How would you know?"

"I was listening close by," was Ryuku's answer. "I saw you run by and shouting like an idiot. It wasn't like I could just leave after seeing something like that."

"Wow," Gashu snorted. "I can't believe you eavesdropped on us. Talk about nosy."

"Spare me the act, like you're any better?" Ryuku scoffed. "Anyway, it's a good thing you're here."

"Why's that?"

"I was going to tell you to pick up Misaki. She's wanted to show me some new toys she bought," Gashu's nose wrinkled – couldn't Misaki have better hobbies than collecting toys? When he was thirteen, he was beyond past the toys phase. If you could call gaining an early interest in the opposite sex a hobby. "The problem is my boss has been giving me more hours on the days I'm supposed to pick her up from school. I already told her I'd be running a bit late. So, she's waiting for me."

"No problem. I'll watch the kid," Gashu said. "What kind of toys did she get? A brand new teddy bear? Or is it a doll? Maybe a tea set!"

Ryuku smacked his arm. "She's a teenager, not a six year old," she muttered. "Her version of toys is books and board games."

"Watch, she'll probably show me that pink stuffed toy she keeps talking about."

"Just shut up," Ryuku said. "Be on your best behavior."

"I always am."

**X**

How many times was he going to do this? For the last six minutes, Ryuku was debating on whether or not he should bother. He'd paced back and forth in his room, feet sore from spending the last several hours standing at work. He eyed his bed tiredly, needing a nap to sleep the day off. Heaving an exasperated sigh, Ryuku exited his bedroom and padded down the hallway. When he was standing at Gashu's door, he mirrored the double's carefree attitude of barging in. Gashu was on his futon; his arms stretched high above him holding a manga. Ryuku walked inside, awkwardly taking a seat next to the double on the floor.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. They simply let themselves bask in silence. Ryuku tried to get a closer look at the double's manga. He couldn't recognize it, which meant Gashu hadn't swiped one of his again. Given the way Gashu was staring intently at the pages in front of him, Ryuku supposed he was greatly engrossed with the story.

Or at least he thought this was the case, until Gashu finally broke the silence. "I've been staring at this page for the last fifteen minutes."

"It is bad?"

Gashu placed the manga on top of his chest. He gazed up at the ceiling, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Is what bad?"

"Whatever it was must've been bad," Ryuku said. "For you to have run like… like something terrible just happened. I saw the look on your face. Like your whole world came tumbling down in seconds."

"I thought you weren't going to ask about this anymore," Gashu murmured. "You said so yourself. You weren't going to force it out of me."

"I'm not asking you to tell me," Ryuku replied calmly. "Just, how bad it is?"

Gashu tilted his head to the side, turning his gaze onto the redhead.

Ryuku pressed on. "It has to do with Ayano, right? You ran right up to her."

"I just," Gashu shifted on his futon, tucking the manga under his arm, while he turned away from Ryuku. "I remembered something from back home. Something I should've never forgotten about in the first place."

"Did something happen to her?"

"No," was Gashu's quick answer. "Nothing happened."

He wasn't a very good liar. Ryuku could spot the same gestures he used whenever he tried to pass off a lie. He couldn't risk letting anyone see his face whenever he lied. When he was around strangers it was easier to breeze past them. But close friends and people who bothered to pay attention were another story. It looked like he shared something in common with Gashu, after all. It wasn't easy to lie to yourself. Ryuku could call him out on it, but he doubted he'd get anything out of it. Besides, it wasn't like he _needed_ to know. A budding curiosity could be pushed aside. Everyone had their own things to worry about. It wasn't like he needed to add to his own.

So, he dropped the conversation there.

"I feel like," Gashu started. "I feel like Misaki knows."

"Knows what?"

"That I'm not exactly her cousin," he replied breezily, his cheerful tone strained. "Like she knows I'm an imposter."

Ryuku snorted. "You're not an imposter."

"Tell that to everyone else."

"Jeez, what are you sulking about?" Ryuku grunted, plucking Gashu's manga from under his arm. "I thought I was the only one who did that."

A short chuckle came from the double. "Yeah, well, it's not like no one else mopes around."

Ryuku flipped through the manga, mildly interested. "You're probably just over thinking things."

"Isn't it better for me to over think things?" Gashu asked. "I wasn't thinking at all when I was around Ryou and look at how fast he found out. Look at how heartbroken your ma was. I'm just kind of tired of seeing that betrayed look. Sooner or later, _she'll_ find out and I-I don't think I can handle that."

"You don't think I never got that look?" Ryuku remarked. "I get _plenty_ of looks around here. I get stupid rumors and I hear people whispering, no, sometimes they don't even bothering whispering behind my back. I just try not to bitch about it every other second, because I have other shit to deal with." He exhaled, threading his fingers through his fringe. "All I'm saying is that as much as I wish we could keep hiding and pretending everything is okay. Someone's going to figure it out eventually. A secret can only last so long."

Gashu flopped onto his back. "Normally, I'm pretty awesome at lying."

"I bet," Ryuku scoffed, dropping the manga on the double's chest as he stood up. "Now, go back to your annoying ass self."

"Right," Gashu grinned up at him. "I'll leave the sulking to you."

**X**

A framed photograph was on the nightstand next to the bed. The photo doesn't fit the frame entirely. It was cut drastically, as if to preserve one part, or one person, in the picture: a grinning young man with a pigtail and sparkling dark blue eyes. The frame was picked up, while the figure sank into the seat placed at the bedside. She traced her fingertips over the photographed man's face. A breeze flew into the master bedroom, ruffling curtains and bed sheets. Sasuke landed at the windowsill, peering at the figure and the bed, before entering the bedroom. In an instant, he was by the figure's side, kneeling respectfully. The figure spared the ninja a brief look, setting the frame down. She shifted in her seat, facing Sasuke in anticipation.

"Mistress, this time I return with good news."

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"It appears the target does leave the house after all," Sasuke informed the figure.

"Is that so?"

"In fact, mistress, he has some things we can use against him after all," the ninja swung his satchel around. He opened the flap, taking out an envelope.

The figure accepted it, opening the seal and removing what was inside the envelope. They were all photographs. While some angles were lackluster and slightly blurry, a few photos managed to capture a decent close up.

"That is not all, mistress," Sasuke continued eagerly. "I have also managed to get this."

"Excellent work, Sasuke," the figure applauded, picking up the cell phone from Sasuke's hand. "We'll have to pay a visit to that imposter very soon, now won't we?"


	33. Ch 25: Enter Ryuku's Newfound Sister: P1

**Chapter 25:** Enter Ryuku's Newfound Sister, K. S.: Part 1

Ryuku's arms were crossed over his desk, as he pressed his chin on his forearm – it was a slow morning once again. Though, Hair Gel's voice had a soothing timbre to it as if a topping to his usual monotonous voice. It was almost pleasurable to listen to the topic, which happened to be history, not that that mattered. Ryuku's eyes eventually trailed over to what he believed to be the most important part of this classroom: the clock. The more he watched the clock; however, the secondhand seemed to drag on indefinitely, going nowhere.

At this point, Ryuku didn't care if Hair Gel caught him sleeping. His eyes wanted to catch up on some well-deserved relaxation; and without his consent, his eyelids closed. Ryuku didn't even fight it. He needed the shuteye and nothing interesting was happening anyway. _I'll just rest my eyes. Just for a few minutes_. Plus, the boy believed, nothing ever happened on these boring days. The worst, or possibly the most exciting thing, that could happen would be two buckets waiting for him in the hallway.

Ryuku relaxed, tucking his face into the crook of his arm. "Just a few more seconds," he mumbled softly to himself.

Even with his eyelids closed, he sensed a presence hovering over him. It was overbearing, almost smothering. In Ryuku's mind, he could imagine Hair Gel, who didn't send him disapproving looks or agitated frowns but simply stared at him with an expressionless mask. Ryuku wondered if he even had emotions. Hair Gel could write him up for detention and force him out of his seat himself. Nothing was going to stop Ryuku's conquest for some extra Z's. Any consequences he'd suffer would be dealt with at another time.

But Hair Gel wasn't getting the message. He hadn't resumed the lesson. If it was possible, the classroom had become more silent. Tenseness in the room became to emerge. Ryuku felt a myriad of eyes bearing onto him, expecting him to do something. If he dropped a pencil, Ryuku mused how extreme the reaction would be. Would Hair Gel finally do something? Or would his classmates react first? Maybe someone would soil themselves. Ryuku smirked; the mental pictures in his brain were ridiculous. He made his peace with the fact that he would be assuredly standing in the hall with those aforementioned buckets. Ryuku wearily opened his sore eyes, expecting to see Hair Gel looming over him. But to his dismay, it wasn't Hair Gel but a hooded figure, whose malice was evidently tuned onto the redhead.

_Am I dreaming? _Ryuku pinched his bicep and was rewarded with a small burst of pain. He lifted himself off his desk, staring at the figure in bewilderment. _I'm definitely awake._

The stranger was sheathed in a black flowing cloak, which masked the individual's face. The drowsiness that plagued Ryuku's mind had evaporated. He was now alert and focused on the intruder. For some reason, his eyes darted off to the side, shimmering shards of glass were scattered across his desk. Immediately, the teen noticed the destroyed window, which he assumed the hooded figure used as their entrance. Ryuku skimmed over the classroom, nothing that other desks had been showered with glass fragments. His fellow classmates had quietly glared at Ryuku and the figure. None of them seemed hurt but definitely were dazed and furious.

He felt a trickling sensation rolling beneath his chin, following down the line of his neck. Whatever it was, it dripped down onto his arm. Ryuku touched his sleeve, lifting his fingers away to find a vibrant red smeared over his fingertips. An explosion of anxiety nearly filled the core of his mind, nearly losing his wits. Trembling, Ryuku hesitantly touched his right cheek. It was clean. By deduction, as any great detective would know, he figured his left cheek was the source of the trickling. Using shallow breaths, he repeated the same action to his left. His entire hand was covered in a sticky red mess. Ryuku clenched his eyes shut to block out everything. But he was being engulfed by wails and screams and the repulsive crunching and snapping of bones and – it was barely any blood. Why was he reacting like this?

_I don't need this now_. He shook uncontrollably. Nausea twisted and churned his insides. He was gagging at the dryness of his throat. Ryuku vigorously scrubbed his hands over his pants, thankful for the uniform's dark color.

Prying his eyes open, he was pinned with everyone's telltale gazes, gawking at him as if he was a one-man freak show. Even Hair Gel, who stayed by the whiteboard was observing him. Apparently, nothing surprised the stone-faced teacher. A cloaked stranger literally crashed into the classroom, not only breaking school property but causing a scene. Yet, despite all that, _he_ was still the center of attention. He didn't get a chance to dwell over his frustrations, or to even properly calm himself down, as the figure decided to finally speak.

"I have taken the liberty of seeking you out myself," the figure's voice sounded feminine. Her tone seemed calm but there was anger. "Enjoy your last few hours of lies, as they will be your last."

In the blink of an eye, the figure mysteriously vanished from the room as quickly as she appeared. The figure's unexpected appearance could've been called off as some sort of hallucination. Perhaps the whole thing was a strange shared dream. Someone could've accidentally thrown something to break the window. In a city like Nerima, anything was plausible. But the figure had left something behind, diminishing any beliefs to explain what had happened. A black rose lain on Ryuku's desk. Ryuku stared at the flower, his gaze rapidly flickering from where the figure once stood to the broken window.

"What the hell just happened?" a female student cried out, thus further dispelling the notion that it was simply a dream.

Suddenly, the room was overwhelmed with chatter and hearsay. Ryuku could barely make out the chaos of noise. He could've sworn he heard someone say something about the Bloody Knife Saotome being called out for a gang fight. Someone clearing their throat forced the entire classroom to cease the senseless chatter.

Without turning away from the whiteboard, Hair Gel started to speak. "Surely, you could've picked a more appropriate time to chat with your friend, Saotome," he chided. "A classroom is a learning environment. It is not a place for you to socialize or flirt with your friends."

"I wasn't doing anything!" Ryuku protested. "I didn't even say anything!" _Also,_ _what kind of friend crashes through the window and threatens you?_

"In that case, your friend left quite a mess behind," Hair Gel said. "You know where the cleaning supplies are."

"This isn't even my fault," he would've shouted the words across the room, but he decided against it. Ryuku shuddered, digging his fingers into his thighs. If his desk wasn't covered in glass, he would've slammed his palms over it. He wasn't going to risk getting any more injuries. He was bleeding profusely, drops of blood steadily landing next to the rose, and the first thing Hair Gel told him was to _clean_ the mess.

"Once you've finished cleaning, immediately report to the infirmary to have your injuries looked at," the teacher informed him, placing the eraser down and facing forward.

"No."

Hair Gel regarded him with a leveled stare. "What are you disagreeing to the nurse or the cleaning?"

"It's just a scratch," Ryuku winced at his obvious lie. "It's not bad at all."

"Saotome, it isn't practical for a teacher to allow their student to have an untreated injury during class," Hair Gel said. "The amount of blood from your wound is unsettling, and will not only be unfair to your body but also create a distraction for the class. Not to mention your blood may stain your textbook and make it difficult for the next person to read it," to further his point, Hair Gel pointed at Ryuku's glass clad desk.

Ryuku was stunned, his mouth agape. His teacher had managed to cover everything; he had no way to respond. No way to complain, no alternative but to comply.

"Clean up the class and then report to the nurse's office," Hair Gel told his student. "I'll write you a slip once you've finished."

Immediately, Hair Gel resumed his lecture on the fascinating topic of history. Reluctantly, Ryuku fetched the broom and dustpan from the supply closet. He finished in a decent amount of time, due to cleaning duties from the Cat Café, and was out the door within minutes. In his hand, Hair Gel's slip for the nurse's was crushed into a paper ball. He dismissed his teacher's orders as he walked past the nurse's office, instead heading for the boys' bathroom. Why would he need the nurse, when he could check the damage himself?

Standing in front of the mirror, Ryuku grimaced at his image staring back at him. Half of his face was covered in a dark red. He wadded a bunch of paper towels together, soaked them in water, and furiously rubbed his face. The burning sensation from his cut as he harshly wiped his face was worth the risk of avoiding the nurse. Wiping away the last trace of blood, Ryuku heaved a relieved sigh. The cut didn't look very deep; it was a decent size, a neat slice that didn't take up much space on his left cheek. However, the amount of blood leaking from the wound was alarming. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Ryuku got out the crumpled slip. Hair Gel shouldn't have bothered, writing him up one when he knew he wouldn't need it.

After some finishing touches, Ryuku would return to his class and everything would be fine. He glanced up, back to the mirror, and his eyes landed on the line of red traveling down his cheek. Ryuku got a clean paper towel and pressed it on his cut. _Shit_. _Why isn't it stopping?_ No matter what he did, how hard he wiped the wound, it wouldn't stop bleeding. Ryuku's hand closed tightly over the wrinkled slip.

Now standing outside the nurse's office, Ryuku stared at the paper taped on the small glass window in the door. He hadn't read a single character, instead blankly gazing at the bright vibrant color of the sheet. Ryuku tapped his foot on the floor, gripping tighter and tighter on Hair Gel's excuse slip. He didn't _have _to do this, and it wasn't like Hair Gel would if he actually saw the nurse. A drop of blood landed on his shoe.

Exhaling, Ryuku opened the door and stepped inside the infirmary. The curtains on the beds weren't pulled closed, showing all the beds were unoccupied. It smelled like a chemical lab rather than a nurse's area. There was a small room located in the back, where the nurse had an area for herself. Anxiously, Ryuku crossed the room to find the nurse. Sitting at the nurse's desk wasn't the nurse. In fact, the school nurse didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. Disheveled black hair was all Ryuku could see of the person, who was perusing through documents laid out on the desk.

As Ryuku opened the door, it creaked. The person inside whirled in their seat behind the desk, facing Ryuku. "You said you wouldn't be back yet – I," when Ryuku met their startled gaze they froze, a flicker of something flashed in their eyes, before it was quickly hidden. "Oh, it's you. Don't mind me. I'm just looking for something."

"Gosunkugi."

Fumio's lips curled into a nasty smirk. "Saotome," he tapped his finger on his cheek. "You have a little something there." his chuckle wavered slightly, as he averted his eyes elsewhere. It appeared that Fumio was a little squeamish. Either that or he wasn't used to seeing the redhead with a blood soaked face.

"Do I?" Ryuku quipped nonchalantly. Although he normally would've pressed on the matter, Ryuku preferred to keep his stay at the nurse's as short as possible. "Where's the nurse?"

"She was needed elsewhere," Fumio remarked with a little dismissive wave. "She mentioned something about vomit."

"How long ago was that?"

"Oh, I don't know," Fumio said. "Fifteen maybe twenty minutes? I hadn't really bothered to watch the time."

"Well, isn't that great," Ryuku muttered low enough that Fumio couldn't hear. "Mr. Hair Gel's probably wondering where I am."

Fumio propped his elbow on the armrest to cup his cheek. "It's not like I'm expecting an answer or anything," he drawled, crossing his legs. His pant leg rose upwards, revealing a bandage wrapped around his ankle. Ryuku remembered hearing that Fumio had been injured during a track meet. Not that that mattered much to the redhead. Ryuku was grateful for anything that brought that smug attitude down a peg. "But how exactly did you get that cut?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Ryuku asked, barely able to conceal his irritation. "Since when did the _truth_ ever matter to you?"

"You're right, it doesn't. They'll believe anything I tell them," was the gossip's brisk reply. "It's fine. I don't care how it actually happened. Besides, I'm sure you and I both know plenty of people have seen you walking around like that. You're dripping blood everywhere and making a mess of yourself. Sometimes, I don't even have to do anything, Saotome. You do the work for me."

"It's a shame about the leg," Ryuku tilted his head at Fumio's hurt leg. Fumio's smirk twisted to a scowl, before he tugged his pants hem down to cover the bandages. "It'll be harder for you to run off anywhere." Ryuku stood in front of the desk, sending him a dark grin.

Fumio straightened in his seat. "Again with the threats, Saotome?" the corner of his lips twitched.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryuku replied breezily. "Who would want to threaten you? You're a very important asset to Furinkan."

"If only I had my camera with me," Fumio countered coolly. "How often do I get to see Bloody Knife Saotome follow through with his name?"

A humorless chuckle left Ryuku's mouth. "Not very often," he threaded his fingers through his hair. His wrist brushed over his cheek, scraping away blood on his skin. "As much as I enjoy these little talks of ours, I better get going."

"Don't let me stop you," his classmate scoffed. "Actually, on second thought," he picked up the tissue box, started pulling out tissues one by one, and tossed them at Ryuku. "Can't have you bleeding all the over place, now can we?"

"Can't have that," Ryuku nodded, wiping a handful of tissues over his cheek. "If I disappear, people might start ignoring you again."

Fumio's eyes narrowed to slits. "You were about to leave?"

Without saying another word, Ryuku tipped Fumio an imaginary hat, his lips curved into a pleased smirk. He left the infirmary with a skip to his step. The trip to the school's nurse turned out to be more rewarding than Ryuku thought it would be. He doubted he'd have many chances to rattle the school gossip; usually, it was the other way around. Arriving back at homeroom, Hair Gel's unnerving gaze was already on him, as if he was studying a lab subject. The teacher's eyebrow rose in a silent inquiry. Ryuku caught his eyes drop to his untreated cheek. He hoped, by now, it had stopped bleeding.

Ryuku shrugged under his teacher's scrutiny, before he returned to his seat – finding the black rose left on his desk. For the reminder of class, Ryuku removed every petal and the breeze from the broken window blew each petal off his desk.

**X**

A shrill gasp disturbed Ryuku from his nap. Without warning, Ryuku was seized by his chin with a strong grip and dragged upright. Immediately, he was shushed, thwarting Ryuku from making any wry comments. Ryou's eyebrows knitted together in concern, as he turned Ryuku's face from side to side. His best friend slipped into the role of a mother hen easily, hounding Ryuku as if he were his child instead of his childhood friend. No matter how much time he spent keeping an eye on him, the eldest Hibiki always discovered a way to get lost. Ryou's absence that morning meant he had missed everything that had happened during homeroom. But Ryou managed to find his way back to Furinkan. By then, it was already a few minutes into lunch.

"I'm not even gone for a day and you're already," Ryou's traveling backpack and schoolbag landed on the grass with a dull thump. "Do I even want to know what you did?" he tugged his backpack closer to him, unlatching and unzipping things, before searching inside.

"You automatically assume this is my fault?"

Ryou crouched next to him, his backpack forgotten at the moment, and clumsily laced his fingers together – it didn't look to be a very easy thing to do with a broken arm. "If I ask, will you tell me what happened?"

Since the majority of Ryou's focus was on his cut, Ryuku decided to give him some slack, and told him how he'd gotten hurt. Then, once the prominent wrinkle between Ryou's eyebrows loosened, Ryuku explained what led up to the injury. It was an abridged version, short and to the point, but it proved to be enough for the lost boy. After everything was fairly settled, the two fell into a companionable silence. Ryou got to whipping something up for lunch. The faint sizzling from Ryou's portable griddle was filtered as background noise. Ryuku's nose wrinkled at the pleasant scent of okonomiyaki invading his nostrils. His stomach groaned, as if Ryou's cooking awoken stirred his sudden hunger. Ryuku stretched out on the grass, absently reaching his hand up to touch his cheek. Right as his fingertips brushed it; Ryuku flinched and held back a curse. Besides washing the cut with water, he hadn't taken the time to properly disinfect it or cover it with a bandage.

Ryou clucked his tongue in disapproval. "Would you quit touching it?" he chided lightly, pressing his mini-spatula on one of his miniature sized okonomiyakis.

"Don't tell me what to do," the childish statement left a bad taste in his mouth. He would've expected hearing something like that from Gashu.

"My first aid kid has _everything _to take care of that cut," Ryou said. "Let me take a look at it."

"You don't have to baby me."

"Maybe if you didn't act like such a little kid sometimes, I wouldn't _have_ to baby you," Ryou placed some okonomiyaki on a paper plate. "I can't believe someone crashed through a window, during class no less. By now, you'd think I'd be used to how strange Nerima is."

"You _break_ walls just by poking it with your index finger. I have a doppelganger at my house," Ryuku said off-handedly. "Is that not strange enough for you, Hibiki? How about my grandpa turning into a panda? Do you know how many people visit Uncle Tofu's clinic just to see the panda sweeping outside?"

"Would you quit it with the remarks, smartass?"

Ryuku sniffed, turning away from his best friend. "Then don't say stupid things."

"Still," Ryou said. "I can't believe they interrupted class like that. Just to make a big scene and threaten you? What kind of person does that?"

"If I knew who it was I would've told you."

"Someone could've gotten seriously hurt! All that broken glass –"

"I was the only one who got hurt," Ryuku told him. "And I wouldn't worry about the glass; I cleaned up every single piece. Our awesome teacher made sure of it."

"Quit acting like something like this happens to you every day. You and I both know it doesn't," Ryou said sternly. "I know you don't like when I _nag_ you, but you're going to have to deal with it."

"That's fine," Ryuku commented off-handedly, shrugging slightly. "I'm used to you nagging me."

"Why didn't you go to the nurse? If you were bleeding all over the place, wouldn't it be common sense to have it checked out?"

"It wasn't even that bad," Ryuku said. "The bleeding stopped like halfway through class."

"That's not what I. Forget it, you know what? Sit up," Ryuku resisted, mimicking a limp noodle as Ryou brought him upright. Wearing a tight scowl, Ryou thrust a plate onto Ryuku's lap. "Shut up and _eat_. It's not healthy skipping so many meals. No wonder you're so tired all the time. Your body needs energy to do things."

Ryuku glanced down at the okonomiyaki. Steam wafted up from the pancake slices. His stomach gave another noisy growl. Wordlessly, Ryuku accepted a fork from and speared a small piece from the top stack. It was hard to miss his best friend's pleased grin when he took his first bite. Rolling his eyes, Ryuku popped another piece into his mouth. As the teens ate in peace, Ryou routinely reached out for Ryuku's empty plate.

Holding onto a spatula, Ryou's eyes flickered over Ryuku's shoulder. "Oh! It's, uh," with his other hand, he attempted to wave and knocked Ryuku's plate from his hands. Red colored Ryou's cheeks, while he mumbled a soft apology.

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at his friend's sudden change in behavior. The only time he acted this goofy was around girls. He kept his eyes glued onto his plate, having a hunch on who could possibly be behind him. She'd keep a sensible distance between them, waiting for permission since she never intruded. In a way, it was disturbing how polite and proper she was. How could someone be so nice? Perhaps she hid her true self under a shy smile. The kind glint in her eyes hiding something, no one else knew about. Ryuku rubbed the back of his neck, glancing back briefly to catch a glimpse of her. She was anything but a phony. She was the real deal – a normal girl who displayed herself as she was. Pursing his lips, Ryuku mashed the plate into the grass.

Ryou's friendly greeting rang in Ryuku's ears. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I," Ayano was closer. He didn't bother to see how much closer she was. "Everyone's talking about it."

"Talking about what?" came Ryou's inquiry.

"What do you think?" Ryuku huffed, digging his nails into the plate to curve a disfigured face.

"You mean what happened this morning?" Ryou said, chuckling in a good-mannered way. He used the same tone as an adult. "I wouldn't bother with any of it. Rumors are just rumors."

"Gosunkugi's in my homeroom class, so it's difficult to, um," Ayano fumbled. "He came back from the nurse. It looked like he wanted to say something, but it was the middle of class. Since lunch started, he hasn't stopped talking. I tried not to listen to anything he said."

"Gosunkugi is a bit much to handle," Ryou said.

"What was he saying about me?" Ryuku asked. He heard Ryou mutter his name, a puzzled infliction attached to the single word.

"I heard bits and pieces. It was hard to ignore them," Ayano said.

"That's fine," Ryuku shrugged. "Tell me what you can."

"You threatened your teacher during class," Ayano started. "You were about to attack him when the window broke. Then she, your sister, but Ryoko, I _know_ she wouldn't," she wasn't making any sense. She knew it, too. "I didn't _want_ to listen to anything they said. I just, I wanted to hear it from you, Saotome."

Releasing a sigh, Ryuku grasped his knee, gathering his bearings before he faced her. When she saw his cut, her eyes broadened and she cupped her hands over her mouth. Using his free hand, he jerked his thumb at his cheek. "You think my sister would do this to me?"

"You're hurt," she lowered her hands, her lips stretched into a worried frown. She shouldn't show that expression. She was _worried_ about him? "Can I… look at it?"

"What kind of," Ryuku inhaled sharply. "You aren't touching me."

"It could get infected, if you don't –"

Everyone fussing over him was starting to get on his nerves. "All that happened was some crazy chick crashed into my class and trashed everything. I don't know who she is. This stupid cut is from a piece of glass that grazed me," Ryuku gestured with his hands. "That's it, the end. Not really an interesting story, is it?"

"Saotome, I," Ayano took her bottom lip between her teeth. "Thank you for telling me."

Ryuku didn't have to look to know Ayano already left. She was probably scampering off to find her boyfriend. He lifted the plate off the grass. "That's the end of that."

"Here, let me get you another plate," it wasn't until he handed Ryuku another serving of okonomiyaki, when Ryou continued to speak. "Makanai's a bit, uh, what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Klutzy?"

"_Klutzy?_" Ryou echoed. "I wouldn't say that. Where'd that come from?"

Ryuku shrugged, poking at his food with a fork. "She bumps into things a lot."

"Well, I wasn't going to go with klutzy," the lost boy remarked. "More like motherly. She cares about you," his face fell and he quickly added. "Not like _romantically_ or anything. Like a mother would a child. Because you and Makanai don't really – you know, I know she," Ryou dug his fingers into his hair, flubbing a few more fragments of words. "What the heck am I talking about? I swear, I was trying to get a point across here."

"You should eat," Ryuku gestured his fork at him. "Your mouth keeps going if you don't eat enough. No wonder you're so tired all the time. You talk so much you need to eat more to get more energy."

"You're _hilarious_, Ryuku."

Ryuku hid his smile by taking a bite from his lunch. "Thanks, Ryou."

**X**

Taped onto the TV screen was a note left for him, courtesy of his favorite redhead. Gashu's familiar scrawl on the paper, of a message he didn't write, was yet another reminder to pick Misaki up from school. Apparently, all of Ryuku's reminders last night weren't enough for him to have it drilled into his head. Ryuku's lack of faith in him was starting to irritate the double. If Ryuku couldn't trust in himself, how could he trust _anyone_ with anything? All things considered, Gashu thought he was a pretty trust worthy guy. Aside from one major thing, he wasn't that forgetful. There were plenty of people back home who could vouch for him.

Despite Ryuku's note covering the screen, Gashu flipped the TV on. One of his favorite game shows was on but he didn't pay much attention to it. It was just another re-run anyway – an episode he watched _way_ too many times. Instead to keep himself occupied, Gashu sorted through the mail which had started to pile up in the last month. As he put envelopes into their designated piles (bills, junk mail, Ryuku's mom, Ryuku), the double replied to the questions thrown out to the onscreen contestants. Gashu's answers were almost automatic, as if he'd memorized every line, every inquiry, and every reply.

When Gashu had his hands on a rather thick manila envelope, he turned it over in his hands. There was a large blaring red stamp on it that screamed: "_this is important! Open this immediately!" _Warily, Gashu tossed it with the other bills and imperative documents. He'd mention it to Akane whenever she came home tonight. Gashu couldn't understand how Akane and Ryuku could ignore important things like this. Then again, there were a lot of things he didn't understand about Ryuku and his mother. In a strange way, they were technically his family. But things were never left unsaid between _his_ family.

His arrival in Ryuku's Nerima wasn't exactly very welcoming. It was perfectly reasonable. Meeting Ryuku for the first time wearing nothing but a towel would upset anybody. As the days turned into weeks, Gashu began to settle and become accustomed to this Nerima that looked so similar to his own, but wasn't anything close to what he had grown up with. The double thought the longer he stayed meant everything was getting somewhere. But Ryuku absolutely refused to let him in. They were able to make amends, but Ryuku made sure to keep him at an arm's length.

After Akane discovered another version of her son was living under her roof, she was gradually opening up to him. Gashu doubted he gained a significant amount of trust that Akane would tell him anything he asked. Whenever he spoke to her, Gashu swore she had a haunted glint in her eyes. For now, Gashu decided it was best to keep his distance, to allow Akane to adjust to things better. He wouldn't dare to do anything too bold (it'd be a long time until he could invite her to dinner again).

Subconsciously, Gashu reached for where he'd normally put his phone on the table. Grasping onto nothing, the double lowered his head, sighing. "That's great," he mumbled. "I can't even distract myself by texting Aya."

As her name left his lips, it felt as if someone sucker punched him in the gut. Gashu snapped his mouth shut, working his jaw slightly. _And I still can't find where I left the dumb thing. I really hope I didn't lose it._ Once again, the double busied himself by sorting through another stack of mail. Most of it was junk mail, week old newspapers, expired sales and coupons from stores. In other words, it was another pile for the trash bag. Gashu grabbed handful and handful of mail and chucked it into the trashcan. With his last handful, a beige envelope fell on top of his lap. The double looked at it closely. The material of it wasn't paper. It was comparable to a soft silk fabric.

It was addressed to Ryuku and left without a return address. Someone went out of their way to personally deliver this to the redhead. The letter could be anything (one thing Gashu was positive about was that the envelope wasn't a love letter. He was a self-proclaimed expert on love letters. There weren't any hearts on it). Not wanting to be nosy, Gashu put the envelope with the rest of Ryuku's mail. But curiosity nipped at the double, preventing him from thinking of anything else. His head with clouded with the endless possibilities attached to the envelope.

"Technically," Gashu said, having given up looking through the stacks of untouched mail he'd yet to go through. "Ryuku's mail _is_ my mail. It's only practical that I look, right?" Gashu's eyes landed on the sealed silk envelope. "Sounds practical to me!" he reasoned, snatching Ryuku's letter.

The double didn't waste a single second. He untied the ribbon and gave the envelope a shake. Nothing fell out. There were no explosives, no sharp objects, or questionable looking candy. Everything was safe. But he was basing things off of his own personal experience. It wasn't like Ryuku had to deal with the same crazy antics he did. The only thing inside was a sheet of paper. Gashu cupped his chin, shaking the envelope until the paper fell onto the table.

"Looks like I was worried over nothing," the double picked up the paper, as a grin spread over his lips. "I won't read it. Don't worry." With the paper in hand, he hesitated and glanced in every direction. "Well," he amended. "I won't read _everything._"

From top to bottom, the sheet was neatly crammed with writing. Gashu flipped it on the other side, noting the other side was the same – it was practically an essay! Whoever this person was had a lot to say to the redhead. But compared to the sixteen paged love letter he received from one of his admirers, Ryuku's letter was child's play. Gashu flattened the paper over the table, quickly skimming over every other line; before he knew it he reached the bottom of the first page.

"Alright, I guess that's all I'll read," Gashu said, hunching his upper body over the table. Glancing off to the side, the double blew onto the paper and looked back to see it had been blown onto the other side. "Well! You can't stop the wind!"

Grinning, Gashu devoured the words and was getting close to finishing. He skimmed over the last few lines. "Oh," After he reached the last line, there wasn't a trace left of his grin. "Oh _shit_."

The letter wasn't safe, after all.

**X**

Whatever illness the teacher contacted must've been fatal if he was out for another day. This meant the class was left with their fill-in substitute Hair Gel once again. Through a sheer amount of luck, Ryuku managed to make it through the lesson with minimal difficulty. It probably helped that his attention was focused on anything related to the lesson. The morning incident had stayed with Ryuku. During the lunch break, their classroom had been closed to take care of the broken window. But what nagged him was trying to figure out who that girl was.

She was reckless, crashing into the classroom without hesitation – making a commotion just to leave him a threat. A cut was nothing compared to having innocent bystanders injured, which was fortunately an incident avoided. The girl was lucky not to sustain any wounds herself, since she was in the brunt of the glass shards. It was as Ryou had said earlier, nothing like this ever happened to him. He couldn't brush this off as nothing. Ryuku touched his cheek, the cut was disinfected and bandages with Ryou to the rescue. The irritation of people gawking at him was starting to get on his nerves.

Rumors were useless; they had no meaning to them no substance or significance. Ryuku stopped listening to them years ago, not long after being dubbed Bloody Knife Saotome. But Ayano mentioned some interesting things about his "sister" at lunch. One of the main reasons he didn't want Ryoko to be linked to him was because this wasn't the first time he'd heard a rumor badmouthing his "sister". It was during middle school. Word was spreading that someone was masquerading as his younger sibling. At the time, Ryuku hadn't given it much thought. It wouldn't be long before the fuss died down and everyone would find something else to talk about. But the rumors didn't stop, they got worse. His newfound sister was up to no good. According to the rumor mill, she was a gymnast, an amazing athlete prodigy. She was so brilliant that she resorted to cheating to keep her rightful place at the top.

Ryuku had refused to investigate the rumor. He remained stubborn, until he was forced to address it – after spending a few hours at the arcade, Ryuku left Kohaku and his friends to head home. He decided to take a short-cut through the park. It was habit for Ryuku to walk past the swing set, which was when he found a girl curled up next to the swings. The girl was clutching at her ankle, rocking back and forth to sooth the pain. Ryuku could hear her murmuring to herself, could hear her sniffling and her shuttered harbored breaths. He gave her an apprehensive glance but he kept walking. It wasn't his business. What made Ryuku stop was when he heard her utter his name or rather his surname. He stood in front of her, asking if she was alright. The girl uncurled from her hunched position to look at him. Ryuku recognized her from middle school. She was a year ahead of him, a second year and also in the gymnastics club.

The girl lowered her head, the color draining from her cheeks. "Don't tell me you're here to finish me off," she had muttered darkly. "Your sister does the dirty work and you clean up her mess?"

From that point, Ryuku dabbled in the rumors, getting pieces of information here and there. He discovered his sister attended _St. Hebereke School for Girls_. She ambushed the teams, knocking out each member one by one before the official competition. Slandering what was left of the Saotome name, Ryuku had determined, was the reason he tracked down whoever was claiming to be his sister. This was how he ended up at St. Heberke's campus, standing outside the gymnasium where the gymnastics competitions were held. Ryuku hadn't gone all the way there to avenge the gymnasts. He didn't go to confront the imposter. He didn't go for anything. All he wanted was to see who she was. What he left with that day was nothing; he didn't get a chance to see her.

_It couldn't be the same girl could it?_ Ryuku wondered, biting at his knuckle. The cloaked figure was a girl, but he couldn't outright call her a gymnast. Not without solid proof.

Soon enough, it was time for the next period to start. Hair Gel didn't leave the classroom in a hurry; he went at his own pace, taking his time to tuck his things away in his briefcase. Dragging Ryuku out of his stupor was Ryou. The two teens engaged in an impromptu staring contest, which ended the moment Ryuku blinked first. However, the lost boy was undeterred by his victory and mouthed something to Ryuku. In response, Ryuku shrugged and shifted in his seat to stare out the window – or at least attempt, his scenery of the schoolyard wasn't as pleasant with the window covered in a blue tarp. Drawing his attention from the tarp was his notebook leaving his desk.

Ryou leafed through the pages. The scowl on his lips, Ryuku figured, was from his lack of notes. "Do you pay attention to _anything_ during class?"

"At least this time I was awake."

Ryuku's reply caused his friend's frown to deepen. His fangs slightly jutted over his bottom lip. "I'll let you borrow my notes," he huffed, placing the notebook on Ryuku's desk.

"You always let me look at your notes," Ryuku said. "So, why don't you tell me the real reason you're here?"

"What? I can't visit a friend before class starts?" Ryou asked, offended by Ryuku's accusation. "Alright, fine, you caught me. What happened this morning?"

"I already told you what happened," Ryuku said. "What more do you want to know?"

"You _really_ don't know who would do this?"

"No, I have no idea," Ryuku replied, making sure to avoid Ryou's eyes in case he saw through his lie. "I don't know who she was. All I _do_ know is that she's a girl and, for whatever reason, she doesn't like me very much. But nowadays, who really _does_ like me?"

Ryou frowned. "Those rumors –"

"Don't have any sort of truth to them," was Ryuku's automatic response. "I don't have to tell you that. You know this already, Ryou."

"I just don't understand," Ryou sighed. "No one knows who Ryoko is. How could there be rumors circulating about your sister?"

Ryuku shrugged. "I don't know where this stuff comes from."

"You don't sound surprised by this," Ryou said, crossing his arm over his chest. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

He sank down in his seat, averting his eyes to his lap. Nothing ever went past the last boy did it? "Okay, I might've heard some things," Ryuku admitted quietly. "I hadn't really given it much thought. There are girls who say they're my girlfriend just to get something out of it. If someone's claiming to be my sister, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Ryuku, you shouldn't be taking this lightly. This is serious."

"You don't think I know that?"

"Could you act like you care then?" Ryou suggested. "Whoever this person is wanted to get your attention. No one just bothers to _attack_ you during class if they didn't have a good reason for it. They want to be taken seriously."

"What do you _want_ me to do?" Ryuku retorted through his teeth. "Bite my nails and fear for her next attack?"

"No, I just," Ryou frowned. "Call me whatever names you want, I just don't want you to get hurt. You're lucky you only got a cut last time. As much as I don't want there to be a next time, you have to look after yourself."

Ryuku scratched his cheek, dragging his nail over his bandage. "Ah, well," he frowned. "Don't you have better things to worry about? I can handle myself."

"I wish I could believe you," Ryuku couldn't help the offended look. His best friend didn't think he was capable of defending himself? Their next teacher stepped into the classroom, greeting the class. Everyone out of their seats began to walk back to their seats. "Well, it looks like class is about to start. I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah," Ryuku said. "Later."

His eyes looked at the tarp, the neon green tape used to keep it firmly in place.

**X**

A nap was the best thing to clear the mind, especially after reading Ryuku's letter. Gashu propped his elbow on the table, placed his chin in his palm, and dozed off within minutes. His short nap became a deep sleep. With a muffled grunt, the double pushed himself up, after slamming his face on the table when his elbow slipped. Any remaining bits of his grogginess vanished when Gashu's eyes landed on the note. To keep track of time, Gashu snagged an inexpensive watch from Ryuku's room. It was tacky and had a mascot from some stupid cartoon he watched as kid. In short, it was something a little kid would wear, but it worked and it wasn't like Ryuku would miss it. Gashu hesitated; he was almost terrified of checking the time. He couldn't risk it. Instead, Gashu dashed for the front door, grabbed a random pair of shoes, and hightailed it out of there.

Sprinting down the streets, Gashu swallowed his pride and looked at the watch. He was more than an hour late. Misaki could've already left, thinking less (or slightly less) of her precious redhead cousin. _Yeah, like that'd ever happen_. It wasn't long before the school gates were in view. Gashu raced through the school gates, shouting Misaki's name. His voice cracked when he spotted Misaki sitting under a tree and reading a book.

Misaki's doll-like features didn't show any hint of annoyance or impatience. If this had happened to _his_ cousin, Miyuki, he would've had to plug his ears from her nonstop complaints. "Misaki!" he exclaimed, darting up to the middle schooler. "I'm so sorry, Misaki. Did I keep you waiting long?"

Snapping her book shut, Misaki hopped to her feet with a smile already on her pink lips. "That's okay. You're here now and that's all that matters," she tugged Gashu forward for a hug. Affectionately, she nuzzled at his chest, smiling up at him with a familiar sparkle in her light brown eyes.

Gashu avoided her deep gaze, suppressing a disturbed shudder. He was used to getting those sorts of looks from girls who had _crushes_ on him. Of course, there was the slight chance the double was reading too much into Misaki's actions. He'd never experienced such a close relationship with his cousins (not that he actually _wanted_ to tackle any of his cousins in a hug), he didn't have much of anything to compare this to. "I'll make it up to you. How 'bout I treat you to some candy?" Gashu stepped back, nonchalantly ending Misaki's lingering embrace. "Does that sound like a good idea?"

Misaki's answer was an enthusiastic nod. She skipped over to the tree to retrieve her schoolbag and book. After tucking away her book, Misaki was back at his side, reaching for Gashu's hand. The corner of Gashu's grin twitched. Misaki reminded him of a giant teddy bear, an item constantly showered with affection. She was so pure and innocent. Gashu felt like he was somehow defiling her childlike innocence, even using the simplest touches. Lightly squeezing Misaki's hand, the double led the middle schooler to the entrance. Next to him, Misaki cheerfully hummed, walking with a slight skip in her step. Gashu couldn't understand what the big deal was. How could a girl get _this_ excited from being with her cousin? In a different situation, like a boyfriend and girlfriend for example, the double could understand to Misaki's elation.

Shattering the one-sided comfortable atmosphere was a telltale buzzing noise coming from a distance. Something whizzed past them. There was a short burst of manmade wind, strong enough of to blow Misaki's hair. Gashu reacted purely on instincts, yanking Misaki close to him and protectively winding his arm around her small form. His surveyed their surroundings, before inspecting what had flown by them. It wasn't one object. There were was multiple. Implanted in the ground was a line of clubs.

Gashu's eyebrows furrowed. _Are those… gymnastics clubs?_ He couldn't waste time dwelling on small things. Misaki's safety was his top priority. She trembled in his arms, taking handfuls of his jacket, and gawked at the imbedded grass. The clubs were thrown close, _way_ too close to Misaki. Whoever threw the clubs had excellent accuracy. Had the thrower aimed a little lower Misaki – Gashu clutched at Misaki. "Don't worry," he assured her. "I'm here."

Without a second thought, he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. Misaki sniffled, her eyes sparkling with moisture, and stayed quiet. Gashu scooped her up, jumping in time to dodge another wave of clubs. Misaki's arms tried to find a steady grip around his neck. She squealed, burying her face into his chest each time he jumped. After several throws, jumps, and dodges the school grounds were plastered with protruding clubs. For Gashu's last jump, he applied too much force to proper himself into the air – he was high enough to the treetops. The club thrower hadn't chosen the opportunity to attack him while he was in midair. His landing was sloppy. His grandfather would've bopped him on the head for it. Gashu wobbled, struggling to keep a steady balance on what he'd used for his landing: the top of a club.

"Sorry about that," Gashu told Misaki, chuckling. "Usually, I'm _much_ better at –"

Gashu hopped onto a different club, narrowly avoiding the clubs targeted at his chest. "Man, this is becoming such a pain, right, Misaki?" the double looked at the girl, expecting a smile in agreement.

Ever since the first club had been thrown, he and Misaki were left unscratched. But now that he stopped to look, he saw various cuts on Misaki's uniform while his clothes were left untouched. The double peered closer towards her, his dodges unwavering as he continued to evade, scanning her body for anything else he'd failed to notice. On the side of her neck was a tiny slash. It was so minute; it could pass for a paper cut.

_It's not me they're after. _Gashu's grip on Misaki tightened. _I was never their target._

"Such a precious picture," a dark chuckle echoed throughout the scathed schoolyard. "I can't wait to shatter it."

_I can't keep doing this forever_. _I have to find out where they're hiding._

Gashu wouldn't like what he had to do, but he didn't have a choice. If he was going to look for the culprit, he couldn't do it if Misaki was with him. Far off in the distance, there was a relatively safe spot near a tree that was left untouched. The double sprinted across the grass, occasionally dodging on the way there. Misaki gripped onto his jacket with a vice hold, silently pleading with her eyes, as he lowered her onto the ground. Gashu flashed her one of his confident grins, before he darted off. There weren't many places the club thrower could hide. From what Gashu could easily decode was that they were on the school grounds. Most of the projectiles were thrown at a reasonable distance. They weren't hiding on any rooftops on the houses bordering around the school or using the school building. The trees were the easiest spot, especially if they wanted to get caught.

A single club was thrown towards him. Gashu followed after the club's trajectory, his eyes trailing up to a tree. It was the closet to the school gates, which would make for an easy getaway if the need arose. The double climbed up the trunk, spotting a figure crouched high up on one of the branches. He slipped onto a branch, growling. "I finally found you, you nasty little –"

"Congratulations, you found me," the figure announced, inclining their head somewhat. The shadows lifted off their face, revealing lips coated with purple lipstick. The corner of the figure's mouth curved into a malicious smirk. "Unlike this morning, I've prepared something _very_ special for you this time."

Another projectile was hurled towards Gashu. Using minimal effort, he caught it with a snort and went back onto the ground. "Are clubs all you know how to throw?"

"Clubs?" the figure echoed, chuckling. "Why don't you take a closer look?"

Grasped tightly in his hand was a black rose. His firm grip damaged the delicate flower, as petals fell from the bud and landed onto the grass. The double opened his fist; the rose's thorns had pierced his palm. Without warning, the world began to violently spin and his vision blurred. "W-what the," his fist enclosed the stem, as he prepared to chuck the rose across the yard. But his arm wouldn't move and his fingers refused to budge. His entire body no longer cooperated with his demands.

It was as if he had become a statue.

"What appears to be the problem? Can you not move?" the figure's sympathy was painfully feigned. "Don't fret. The effects of my lovely rose won't last very long. If it was a bouquet, you'd be paralyzed for several hours or days. Perhaps if you hadn't clutched it so violently, the chemicals wouldn't have entered your blood stream. Then again, seeing such a beautiful rose one couldn't help but _smell_ it."

The figure bounded from the tree branch, landing elegantly on her tiptoes. She appeared as if she were performing ballet, about to launch a beautiful dance. "You needn't worry about the girl," she told him. "You'll have just enough time to tend after the poor dear once I'm finished with her."

"Y-You –" It was as if a hand was wrapped around his throat, forbidding him from speaking. Whatever chemical the figure had entered into his body had worked quickly.

Part of the figure's cloak opened, as she extended her arm out to take out a light purple ribbon. Already, Gashu was forgotten, the last thing on the figure's mind – her target had been Misaki after all. Gashu gritted his teeth together. He _had_ to fight off the paralysis somehow. He _had_ to do something. He couldn't stand by and let Ryuku's cousin get hurt by some club-throwing, ribbon-wielding psychopath.

Using the tree as a shield, Misaki screamed for her cousin at the top of her lungs. The figure lifted her arm above her head, striking at Misaki with her ribbon. Each of her strikes missed the girl. Gashu's eyes narrowed on the figure. She was playing with Misaki. This whole time she was making a fool out of them both. If she wanted, the cloaked stranger could've injured either of them. Gashu cursed, if he had stopped to think, he would've easily taken her out. All of her hits landed on the tree trunk, leaving deep dents into the wood. The ribbon was like a sharpened blade, slicing through the tree as if it were butter. As each of the figure's strikes approached closer to Misaki, she shifted a few steps to the side, gradually circling around the tree. Misaki was right where they wanted. She was out in the open.

Gashu could only watch on in horror. _Misaki!_

"That's enough teasing," the figure raised her ribbon, wielding it back sharply. The purple strip swung behind her like a whip. Cackling in delight, she jerked it forward and the double couldn't think of any way to tell what happened to Ryuku. He'd be shunned from ever going outside again. The people who were once his close family would shackle him away, reducing him to nothing but a caged rat. Gashu would spend the rest of his life being consumed by guilt for the two things he could've effortlessly prevented.

Yet there were no noise of impact or petrified screams. There was nothing. Nothing happened. The ribbon never reached Misaki. Wearing a nasty scowl, the figure forced her arm outwards, but her outstretched limb would not move. Her hood turned, glancing behind her. "You… you caught my ribbon?"

Gashu's restricted movement blocked whoever the figure was speaking to. Instead, he look at Misaki. Although she was unharmed, her facial expression spoke volumes – she was terrified. But her eyes were no longer on the figure. Was she looking at her savior?

The figure bristled, using both of her hands to get her ribbon free. "_Release_ my ribbon at once!"

Her demand was ignored, as the ribbon was tugged back, causing the figure to lose her balance and gracelessly fall flat on her butt. Such a prime example of slapstick comedy had a fond place in Gashu's heart, but even if he _could_ laugh, the current situation was void of any humor.

"You have some nerve interfering. This is a private affair," the figure stood, clenching the ribbon's handle. She faced Gashu, sending him a fierce glare. "Leave at once!"

"Fuck off, you crazy bitch," Misaki's savior retorted. "Or I'll break someone else besides your stupid ribbon."

The figure shook with anger. "It seems I have no choice," she hissed. "I must tend to other matters. Don't think that means this is over. We are _far_ from settling this."

Gashu didn't have a chance to witness the figure's retreat. His vision was still fogged. Suddenly, small warmth engulfed him. The double could feel trembling arms wrapped tight around his torso, keeping him close. "Mi… saki?" he could finally talk but everything came out slurred.

His ears picked up her soft murmurs. Misaki was uttering Ryuku's name over and over again. The lingering effects of the paralysis started to became tolerable enough for Gashu to gain motor control. Although, his sight was still somewhat blurry, he returned Misaki's embrace, lifting her off the ground while he squeezed her tightly. "I-I'm s-so," his tongue was a heavy weight. What would've been a simple apology was becoming impossible.

"You don't have to apologize," Misaki buried her face against his neck. "Nothing bad happened."

"Something bad _could've_ happened!" Gashu's said, his voice garbled. Slowly, he put Misaki onto the grass, but she was like a leech and clung onto him. The double patted her hair. "Who saved you?"

Misaki's fingers dug into his jacket. "Takumi did."

A loud snort tore Gashu's attention from Misaki and onto a boy, who looked upon the two with disinterest. He was most likely in the same year as Misaki, dressed in a male Chuushinten uniform with the first two buttons on his jacket unbuttoned. _That's the infamous Takumi, huh?_

The boy's coal-like eyes met Gashu's head-on, sending him a chilling glare. The hair on Gashu's neck stood on end. He inclined his head, concealing the giddy grin threatening to form. A potential opponent was right in front of him. In all his time spent in Nerima, he hadn't had a _real_ fight in weeks. Practicing with plastic or wooden dummies, punching bags, and bashing breaks were nothing compared to training with another living breathing person. His body was itching to start something. Gashu snapped his head up, returning the boy's glower with pursed lips. More than a chance for a nice spar, Gashu wanted to thank the middle schooler. After all, if it wasn't for him things wouldn't have turned out so nicely. _For some reason, Red really hates this kid. _

"Doing a _real_ good job of fucking things up, moron," Takumi taunted.

"Yeah, well," Gashu thrust his middle finger up.

Takumi's eyebrows flew up under his fringe. The boy's shock was short-lived and a sneer washed over his visage. "That's how you show your gratitude?" he snarled. "You really _are_ a moron!" Takumi returned Gashu's thankful message, before making way for the school gates.

The two circled around the clubs in the ground, while they went to get Misaki's discarded belongings. Gashu accepted Misaki's hand with no hesitation when she offered it. He shot her a beaming smile, which, after a beat, Misaki returned.

"If that kid wasn't such an asshole," the double improvised. "I'd almost consider thanking him."

"… Ryuku?"

"What is it, Misaki?"

"Do you," Misaki turned her head downcast, she was still shaking. "Do you, um, think you can –"

"Do you _really_ have to keep asking me?" Gashu interrupted with a hearty laugh. "Of course, I'll stay at your house for a while! But first, I promised you candy! Come on, let's go!"

"Okay!"

The trip from the candy store to Misaki's house was filled with relieved smiles and laughter.

**X**

A horrible day at school, or anything bad in general, was easily overshadowed when Seichi came home. In the last few weeks, Ryuku hadn't seen any signs of the wandering cat. It was only a matter of time before Seichi would return. Now, the gray tabby was curled up on Ryuku's stomach, while the redhead was sprawled over his mattress. Ryuku stroked under Seichi's chin. Hearing a content purr vibrate against his chest eased all the stress from his mind. Seichi trapped Ryuku's fingers between its paws, falling asleep with its head resting on the ensnared digit.

Such a calming setting was fitting enough for Ryuku to almost fall asleep himself. But his door slamming open ruined any chance of Ryuku getting such a simple luxury. Ryuku jerked upwards, startling Seichi awake, who pounced off his owner to climb the windowsill. Stifling a yawn, Ryuku rubbed his eyelids, feeling too drained to be irritated at the sudden intrusion. As he lowered his hand to his lap, Gashu was already by his bed. The expression on his face was something Ryuku beginning to become too familiar with. The double was upset. Ryuku didn't want to hear it. All he needed was a little peace and quiet, after what happened at school he knew he wasn't asking for much. But he couldn't turn Gashu away. Gashu had been with Misaki. The reason for his distress could relate to his cousin. Unless, for whatever purpose, Gashu's strange sense of humor compelled him to do something tasteless.

The double's statement said did nothing to sooth Ryuku's restlessness. "Someone tried to hurt Misaki." Ryuku's mind reeled. _Did I – no, I must've been hearing things_. _No one would try to hurt Misaki. The brat knows better. This is a load of crap. _"I was careless. If I wasn't being an idiot, I could've protected her, no problem. She's okay. It wasn't thanks to me but she isn't hurt."

"What's that mean?" Ryuku croaked. "If it wasn't you then who was it?"

He wasn't given an answer. He hadn't spoken loud enough for Gashu to hear him. "Misaki was freaking out," the double continued. "She was a blubbering mess. I can't blame her; she went through a lot today. I hope its okay, but I spoiled her with lots of candy. I let her beat me at all those board games she likes. I did everything I could to make up for it."

"Who was it?" Ryuku repeated steely. "You did everything you could, but you _couldn't _protect her? What exactly happened?"

"I did what you asked me to do," Gashu told him sheepishly. "I went to pick her up. I was a _little_ late but she didn't care. She's always so happy to see you and –"

"You're rambling."

"Right, sorry, I'm still kind of shaken up," the double chuckled though it was strained. "The attacker was wearing a cloak. I didn't catch their face, but I could tell it was a girl. I thought she was after you, since she seemed to be holding some sort of grudge… but she was deliberately going after Misaki."

Ryuku's hands balled up into tight fists. "She was doing everything on purpose?"

"Yeah, I'd say so," Gashu nodded. "I'm guessing you have no idea this mysterious cloak girl is?"

"No idea," Ryuku gritted out. "All I know is that I'm already starting to hate her."

"She caught me off guard," Gashu admitted sullenly. "Something could've seriously happened to Misaki, if he," he cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, _luckily _that Takumi kid was there."

"_Takumi_ saved Misaki? The brat _saved_ my cousin? That's such a load of," Ryuku slammed his fist onto the mattress. "What were you doing? Fucking around and hitting on some girl? _What were you doing?_" he snapped at the thought of Takumi hovering over his cousin.

When a light weight hopped onto his lap, Ryuku's fists loosened when he saw Seichi. The cat was playfully pawing at his shirt, slightly sinking his trimmed claws into the material. Despite himself, Ryuku's lips lifted into a smile. He hoisted the animals in his hands and flopped onto his back. Seichi meowed, wriggling in Ryuku's loose grasps. Ryuku placed the cat on his upper abdomen, tickling Seichi's stomach.

Gashu cleared his throat. "Should I leave you two alone?"

Ryuku's cheeks colored, he faced the wall to hide his embarrassment. He'd forgotten he had company. "Shut up," he grunted defensively. "Even though it pisses me off that Misaki was saved by _him_, at least she's… safe."

"You accepted that better than I thought. I thought you'd go rampaging on the streets," Gashu joked lamely.

"It's not like I can do anything else about it."

"Yeah, well, I think you should take a look at this." Something fell on his face. Scowling, Ryuku snatched it up and saw it was an envelope. "Sorry about opening your mail. I'm used to being at home. Letters that come in are normally with my name."

Ignoring Gashu's comment, Ryuku removed the letter inside. There were only two people who bothered sending him handwritten letters. The handwriting was too fancy to be Ryou's. Plus, the last time he wrote anything to him was when they were in middle school. Megumi told him she wouldn't be writing him for a while. But neither of them would try to fill both sides from top to bottom. Who else would bother to write him anything? Ryuku considered tossing the letter back at the double. Nevertheless, he read the letter and it was pretty bland. The writer was rambling for several paragraphs about what a menace he was to society. There were a few long-winded insults to his appearance and personality. His reputation was mentioned along with his apparent obsession with knives and blood and stabbing.

Ryuku glanced up at his double. "What exactly am I looking at?"

Gashu's face fell. "You've never gotten a challenge letter before?"

"I've gotten hate mail before," Ryuku said. "Are you sure this isn't hate mail?"

"Ignore the rambling."

"The _whole_ letter is rambling."

"Look," Gashu swiped the paper from Ryuku, folded it in half and pointed at the bottom half of the second page. "Just look at this part. That's all that matters."

"'_I can no longer stay silent. You are a menace to society and, not to mention, an utter imbecile. There are two types of people in the world: an honest one and a liar. You are neither of those. You were never an honest man and calling you a liar would be _much_ too generous. You are something worse. You are an imposter, a person pretending to be a person. I simply cannot allow you to continue as you are. You will truly rue the day you have _ever_ messed with me. Your day of reckoning is coming and I will—'_ Blah, blah, blah," Ryuku read aloud with a quirked eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with the section Gashu pointed out. "Say what you want, I've gotten worse mail from people."

"I recognize a challenge letter when I see one," Gashu told him. "Whoever this K.S. person is means serious business. I don't think she's going to stop until she makes sure you suffer. She already targeted Misaki."

"I won't let her hurt Misaki."

"She's probably going to go about this differently. Instead of going after you, she's going to target people you care about," the double cupped his chin in thought. "Is there anyone else you know that she'd go after?"

Ryuku rolled his head back, glaring up at the ceiling. Seichi lapped at the skin under his chin. "Ryou," he replied swiftly. "But I'm not too worried about him. He can handle himself."

"What about your ma?"

"She wouldn't go after her," Ryuku mumbled, poking Seichi's nose.

"Yeah, you're right. Ma would kick her ass," Gashu cackled. He tapped his index finger over his mouth. "You know, I bet she probably planned everything in advance. I think the letter was the last thing she sent."

"How do you know?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it? She needed to scope out the right locations, study how you interacted with people. See who was close to you and who wasn't. Once she had all that, she sent the trigger of her plan – the letter – and then commenced with her plan of ultimate suffering," Gashu grinned cockily. "I've gotten _plenty_ of challenge letters, Tomato."

Ryuku groaned. "Do you really think _Tomato _–"

"Some of my so-called challengers weren't prepared at all," the doppelganger interjected matter-of-factly. "Heck, sometimes they didn't even bother with a letter! They'd just run up to me and start a fight. I guess it depends on how much they want you to suffer. There was one guy who sent _weeks_ dragging me along on wild goose chases and stupid mind games. The guy was a total asshole. Of course, when it came to the part where I was going to beat the shit out of him, he started crying and begging me to stop before we even started throwing punches."

"So, you think she has other targets?"

"I'd say so," Gashu nodded. "She would need more than one target. She's hurting all the people you care about, probably getting off on it, too – the kinky bitch. But it's weird that she went for Misaki first. You'd think she would've gone for her last."

Ryuku raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

"You obviously really care about her," the double said. "Wouldn't it make sense to save the 'best' for last? Make the person I loathe feel so shitty by hurting the person they love the most?"

Gently, Ryuku placed Seichi onto the bed sheets. He shifted to sit on the edge of his bed, clasping his hands together over his lap. "Who the fuck does that?" he growled. "How do you know so much about this anyway? Are you speaking from personal experience?"

Gashu clamped up, he put his hand over his face. "Of course not," he raked his fingers through his hair. "It's common sense, Tomato."

"You've gotten plenty of challenger letters yourself."

"I _know_ what I said," Gashu snapped. "This is _different_. I can just tell certain things, okay? Either way, I'm right about this. Who knows if she's moved onto another target? Just to be safe, I'll stay with Misaki. You have to think about who that last person is."

Ryuku stared at his clasped hands. "Megumi?" he murmured. "But, that wouldn't. No, it _can't_ be her."

"Just think about it."

"Do you think she'd go after Megumi?"

Gashu shrugged. "Unless she plans on leaving Nerima, I doubt it."

"Who else could it be then?"

"You'll figure it out when you figure it out," the double assured him calmly. "It's perfectly normal to stress about this, but it'll be hard to do anything if you can't focus."

Ryuku jerked backwards when he was suddenly staring into an uncanny pair of blue eyes. Gashu's lips pursed, propping his hand on his hip, while he leaned forward. "Personal space," was all he said. "Ever hear of it?"

"Your cheek," Gashu tapped the spot on his own cheek, before gesturing towards the bandage. "I wanted to mention it earlier, but it didn't seem like an appropriate time. Now that we have that challenge letter out of the way, what happened?"

"This morning I had a surprise visit in class," Ryuku said. "She decided to crash in through the window. Her presents for me were this cut and a black rose."

"That's what she meant by 'this morning'!" Gashu exclaimed. "She gave me a black rose, too. The thorns were laced with some weird chemical that paralyzed me. She was throwing these clubs all over the place. When I finally got to her she threw something at me and I assumed her next action, and well, _this_ happened," He showed his palm to Ryuku. It was littered in tiny cuts.

"The rose she gave me didn't have any thorns. She just threatened me and left."

"It was probably her first warning," Gashu said. "Make a grand entrance to leave an impression. Make you stand on your toes. Man, what a crazy girl!"

Ryuku sighed. "Stuff like this rarely happens to me."

"That's so boring! How do you ever get _excited_ for anything?" the double whined. "If things were different, I'd almost be excited! She could be a worthy opponent!"

Ryuku beckoned Seichi towards him. The cat leapt onto Ryuku, curling up into a small fur ball on Ryuku's lap. "You get excited over the stupidest things," he said. "Did you forget that she _attacked_ my cousin? That she crashed into my classroom?"

"Do you really need to cover it up?" Gashu asked, ignoring Ryuku's comments. "My cuts aren't _that_ bad. They're like paper cuts. Are you being a drama queen?"

"Ryou wouldn't leave me alone until I put a bandage on it."

Gashu rolled his eyes. "Do you do everything that nerd tells you?" In one swift motion, he used two fingers to remove the bandage.

"What'd you do that for!?" Ryuku snapped, wincing from the blossoming burn on his cheek.

"You're such a crybaby," Gashu teased, twirling the bandage with his fingers. "Are you sure you got a cut? There's like nothing there."

"Are you blind? How can you not see it?"

"Don't believe me? Fine, take a look yourself," the double dug inside his pockets, taking out a pink compact mirror. Ryuku's nose crinkled in distaste by the etched design of the compact: faux crystals and lilac flowers. _Why is he carrying that around? _"What's with that look? I'll have you know an _ex_ gave this to me," he sniffed dramatically, opening the compact with a press of a button. "It was our one week anniversary."

"You're pathetic," Ryuku mumbled. He moved the compact to his wounded cheek, tilting his head to get a better look.

The cut was barely there, practically fully healed.

"Whatever, man," Gashu said, taking his compact back. "I'll leave you alone with your little puss-puss."

When his door shut, Ryuku resumed petting Seichi. "What the heck is going on?"


End file.
